“Can I sit with suffering, both yours and mine, without trying to make it go away? Can I stay present to the ache of loss or disgrace—disappointment in all its many forms—and let it open me? This is the trick.” ~Pema Chödrön At forty-seven years of age, I have experienced chronic illness in some form…
“Forgiveness is an action, which your mind can never understand. Your mind’s sole intent is to balance the books. In issues of morality, it only wants to get even. Therefore, practice forgiveness every day if only in trivial matters. This is an excellent way of tempering the mind and empowering the heart.” ~Glenda Green Recently,…
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” ~Marcus Aurelius It’s 3:00 a.m. I lie awake knowing I have a busy day ahead of me, but my mind is racing. I had a few drinks last night, and I know that this is why I am awake at this ungodly hour….
“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” ~ Amit Ray On December 12th, 2019, I found myself in a hospital undergoing an exploratory heart catheterization, a wake-up call I could no longer ignore. My health had reached a critical low. I was battling high blood…
“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” ~Joseph Campbell “Our deepest calling is to grow into our own authentic self-hood, whether or not it conforms to some image of who we ought to be. As we do so, we will not only find the joy that every human being seeks—we will…
When my ex-wife and I separated in 1999 and divorced two years later, I never imagined that we would one day spend a week together as friends. Over the past quarter century, our lives had rarely crossed, except on the day our divorce was finalized and at our daughter’s wedding in 2012. Yet here we…
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” ~Maya Angelou What if the person you’re trying hardest to please is you? For years, I wore a mask—a professional, composed, always-on version of myself that I thought everyone expected. My need to please…
“Living with chronic illness isn’t a life half-lived; it’s an opportunity to redefine what it means to be truly alive, resilient, and whole.” ~Christopher Reynolds I have spent the past eleven years of my life in chronic pain. While this journey has been long, excruciatingly difficult, and deeply lonely, I am beginning to come to peace…
“Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” ~Dalai Lama I had been caught in a web of unhappiness for several months some time ago. During those months, each morning looked the same. I would open my eyes, sigh in misery, and sit at the edge of the bed for a few…
“The key is to be in a state of permanent connectedness with your inner body—to feel it at all times. This will rapidly deepen and transform your life.” ~Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now “Relax your shoulders, keep your head high, stay grounded,” I cue myself as I walk through my morning Tai Chi. It’s still…
