I know a person who, after four years of lament and loathing, is relieved to have a new president.I know another who is crestfallen and filled with anxiety over what the next four years will bring. Those two sentences? I could have easily written them this morning as I could have four years ago. To be honest, I have felt both emotions at different times in the last twenty years. But alas, talking politics is tricky business these days, with emotional landmines at every turn. So let's focus on something else.Like Mondays.I've written before about how Monday gets a bad rap. When we see Friday, …
You & Improved
This Poison Tastes Great, Want Some?
I don't know who needs to hear this but drinking poison in order to feel better is a bad idea. That's basically what we're doing when we monitor the "news" of the day.Early in the pandemic, I came across the term "doomscrolling." It stopped me in my tracks because it resonated so much. According to psychologist and clinical assistant professor Ariane Ling, PhD., doomscrolling is “the act of endlessly scrolling down one’s news apps, Twitter, and social media and reading bad news."Seems like a bad idea. And yet, one reason we resort to this habit is to attempt to seek information in hopes of …
My Grandma was a Magician
My grandma was a magician. Not the kind prone to cutting grandchildren in half or pulling rabbits out of vintage hats, mind you. She was an artist. The first real artist I'd ever known. My parents had one of her paintings hanging in their bedroom. It was a big one, a landscape featuring a shimmering blue lake. At the edge of the lake was a small dock with two tiny figures sitting at the end. Me and my brother Dan. It really looked like us, and the landscape was pristine, like a real photograph. I loved staring at that painting, wondering how she did it. Pure magic.You can't be exposed to …
Thank God it’s 2021 and Everything is Awesome Again
I created this painting last year, as the pandemic was just getting warmed up. With this art came the message to make the most of the hidden opportunities we were given. There were numerous new challenges in this uncharted territory, of course, not the least of which was figuring out how to secure a few rolls of toilet paper. Although we all endured the same storm, we experienced it from different ships, some being more seaworthy than others. But amidst all the upheaval, I encouraged everyone who would listen to see with new eyes and grab the golden opportunity right in front of …
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The Incredible Bravery of Letting Go
Waiting for everyone else to leave, she appeared at my autograph table after my second and final presentation of the day. She alternatingly approached and retreated as if her body was mimicking an internal debate going on in her head. Her name tag revealed her as a Jennifer. I assumed she was trying to decide if she wanted to buy something. Instead, she hesitantly exclaimed, “I want to trade you something, but I don’t want you to think I’m crazy.”“I won’t think you’re crazy,” I promised, immediately wary of my declaration.Apparently, I was convincing enough, as she immediately began digging …
Life is Like Harry Potter
I just finished reading the final Harry Potter book to my kids. We are now champing at the bit, excited to watch the final two movies.As we were reading through the series, I suspected that things would turn out well for Harry in the end. Even though I was fairly certain of a happy ending, I still wanted to read the last book. Because I wanted to find out the how. I wanted to experience the surprises, see the impossible problems get solved and the loose ends get tied up.I wish I could always keep this perspective in mind in my own life.Last year, during a retreat, I read though a bunch of old …
Dawn Is Coming
It is always dawn somewhere in the world. That fascinates me. When someone is in the middle of the blackest night, someone half a world away is experiencing the joy of a new day. That’s how life is: seasons of light, seasons of dark.I can hardly believe that just a little over a year ago, my family was on Lanikai Beach, watching the sun rise over these two small islands called Na Mokulua, aka the Mokes. I was booked to speak in Honolulu and this trip seems like an even greater blessing considering how this year has unfolded.Some days Kim got up to watch the sunrise while I stayed back as the …
Goodbye Ahma Chris
My friend Chris was one of those rare people who sees something in you that you don’t see in yourself. Their insight seems preposterous at first, like a compliment that spiraled out of control. But they are so insistent and convincing, you actually start believing them. Eventually, you discover they were right, and can’t help but wonder if that seed of potential was there all along or if they somehow willed it into existence. If you’ve ever known someone like that, you know how rare and special they are. They are the kind of people who change lives. Chris Clarke-Epstein was one of …
A Free, Foolproof Antidote to Anxiety
Have you ever had one of those days when you’re angry at everything and nothing in particular? I had one recently. I went for a walk in an attempt to burn off my anxiety. Two laps around a spacious field of wildflowers near my home released some endorphins, but didn’t make a dent in my foul mood.I pulled out my earbuds and fired up a playlist on my phone populated with praise music. My soul began to lift.Then I came upon an older man driving a golf cart along the path, with a woman of a similar age as his passenger. She appeared to have some cognitive challenges as she seemed pretty …
How to Be An All-Star Without Any Talent Whatsoever
When I was twelve years old, I had a fastball you wouldn’t believe.That is, you wouldn’t believe anyone would call it a "fastball" if you saw how slowly it traveled.I had great control, rarely walking anybody, but I had no curveball, no slider, no screwball…just a not-so-fast fastball and a change-up that defied the laws of physics by being even slower. I swear I saw batters salivating while they were on deck.I did make the All-Star team that year, but not for my pitching acumen. My team never won a game while I was on the mound. One time, I got hit in the leg by a line drive that was hit so …
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