So much of the outside world is beyond our control. War, famine, poverty, bigotry, violence, cruelty -- are all forces that live alongside peace, forgiveness, unselfishness, kindness, hope, inspiration and goodness. And while we can of course do our best to always be on the side of good as opposed to harm, we still have …
Category: Quotes
Labels.
"What do you DO for a living Mike?" "So, what do you DO?" I have always been uncomfortable with how people identify themselves by using labels. And how we define others by labels as well. We label our children when they are young, too. "My kid is so XYZ!" "Oh, he's a XYZ." "She is …
Impermanence.
I am reading an extraordinary new book, The Five Invitations by Frank Ostaseski. Extraordinary. Am only half way through and it's already had a huge impact on me. I will write about it in greater detail when I finish. One of the words that really moved me in the book is the word "impermanence". I …
Equanimity.
Zen Story: Maybe There is a Taoist story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically. “Maybe,” the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it …
Passengers vs. Drivers.
I used to blame others for my life state when I was younger. I blamed my parents. I blamed my teachers. I blamed other kids. I blamed everyone and everything for my unhappiness, for the things that didn't go my way, essentially, for all of my misery. When I started my professional career and things …
My Suffering. My Greatest Teacher. Part 2…Other People’s Suffering.
I was so pleased that my blog last week generated such a nice response, very grateful it seemed to touch a nerve with some people who read it. I actually have a bit more to share on this topic of how I learned that my sufferings were actually my blessings and greatest teachers. I re-read …
Continue reading My Suffering. My Greatest Teacher. Part 2…Other People’s Suffering.
My Suffering. My Greatest Teacher.
I had what you would call a "non-traditional" childhood. Perhaps that's the kind way of saying it. The truth was that it was hard, confusing, painful and, more often than not, terrifying. My parents struggled in their own relationship and, sadly, left my siblings and I to largely fend for ourselves. Not that we went …
