When Mom left this world not long ago, the emotional upheaval and profound sense of loss and loneliness was something I had never experienced before. Five months later, I still find myself expecting … [Read more...]
Finding the Light In a Sea of Sadness
I spent fifteen years in a self induced relational coma, convinced that a former lover’s painful words were my truth, rather than her reality. That’s roughly 5500 days of consciously avoiding intimacy … [Read more...]
What’s Your Answer to Life’s Most Important Question?
Lately I’ve been thinking alot about the two primordial emotions of life, Love and Pain, and all of the sub-emotions that arise from them. And what’s interesting to me is that, even though love is our … [Read more...]
Why Are You Here?
The pitch-black sky matched my mood as I stepped out the back door of the hotel to stare at the ocean. This trip to Cotonou had been a last-ditch effort to make sense of my life. But after being … [Read more...]
Masahide’s Barn and the Meaning of Life
After watching his barn burn to the ground, 17th Century samurai and poet Mizuta Masahide wrote the following haiku: “Barn’s burnt down now I can see the moon” Masahide’s quote came to me, as … [Read more...]
How to Raise Your Average
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” - Jim Rohn Every morning at the gym I run into Dan, a young, hard-working guy with a lot of potential and the desire to pursue … [Read more...]
B.B. King Got It Right
I reached a watershed moment in May 2010, when my desire to do work that mattered became greater than the fear of the unknown. The job and the house were no longer enough of an incentive to keep me … [Read more...]
Forward Slowmentum
Have you ever wondered why the things we want most in life always seem to take longer than we expect? In my experience it’s the Universe’s way of saying, “You’re not ready to handle what you’re asking … [Read more...]
Life in the Shadows
“There is strong shadow where there is much light.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe We are meant to live our lives in the light of work that feeds our purpose, and with people who encourage us to be … [Read more...]
The Power of Courageous Vulnerability
Recently I watched Sarah, an older woman with Parkinson’s, climb onto a stage to read her poetry. “I’ll do my best to read,” she said softly and smiled at the audience. “In spite of the shaking.” … [Read more...]
