Our Dear Sophie – Part 3 of 4
I feel like I heard the pitter patter of Sophie’s feet there, for a second? But my door is closed. I wonder if she tried to get in, maybe? I feel like she’s stronger in the morning. Yesterday, in the afternoon, she was so weak, that for the first time ever, she did not respond to my petting her. This is a really bad sign. So much so that I
Leaning in to Our Stressful Moments
Like so many of life’s pains and discomforts, the coronavirus pandemic has led many of us to seek distraction. We know, or at least hope, it will be temporary. So, we turn away and wait for the difficult times to pass. One moment it was Pelotons, and another moment it was (and is!) Wordle. There is nothing inherently wrong with this strategy. For many things it is just fine. But
The Dao of Parenting (and other things)
I am just two and a half years into being a parent. So, an expert on the topic I am not. I have, however, studied Asian religions and philosophy for over 20 years now, spending many months living in monasteries in India and China, earning a Ph.D. in Buddhist ethics, and teaching in a number of universities. So, on that topic, the word expert might apply. That said, today I
Our Dear Sophie – Part 2 of 4
When I was 11, my Dad got wrongfully fired, and we had a lawsuit and won. Thus, to make us kids feel better, he and my Mom got us a pet cat. Like any good parents would do. Veronica Veronica had similar gray colors as Sophie. White edges. And she was pure tigress. Although she came from the gas station, and only cost 5 bucks, she acted like she was
Getting Over Hedonism
The theory of hedonism is simple: we pursue everything in life for the pleasure it gives us. The delicious sandwich I ate at lunch, the coffee I had before that, the time I spent in the sauna, all driven by pleasure. So the theory goes. And for many things, that makes sense. All of these things did give me pleasure. But I also checked and responded to work emails. I
The Joys of Slowing Down
One of the complaints that my wife and I often have in our lives is that we never have time. We’re too busy. This is a reflection of modern life. Everything is moving at almost dizzying speeds. Even 20 years ago, American society was moving fast. Commercials were constantly selling us on the latest gadgets we had to have. Cable news channels were getting better and better at hooking us