Old people don’t just take up space; we are participants in the world. Keep growing. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Keep making new friends. We’ll contribute more and enjoy life more. Continue reading
Freedom is often a question of letting go of the stories that chain us down. Continue reading
It shouldn’t be automatic that you’ll bear any burden and pay any price to extend life. Nobody lives forever. Continue reading
I am learning that many times people would be better off if I didn’t try to please them or help. I’m sharing five of these behaviors, because you might do them too. Continue reading
In one celebrated case from Ethiopia, a pride of lions came across a group of men who had kidnapped a teenage girl, possibly for sale in the sex trade.. The lions ran the men off and sat around the girl until people came to find her. Then they quickly left. What explains their behavior? What can we learn from them about ourselves? Continue reading
“Do not judge my story by the chapter you happened to walk in on.” – Linda Dilworth. When you see someone who is old, or disabled, or in poverty or crazy, that is not their whole story. Often, if we knew the whole story, we would be amazed and moved. Continue reading
Most times, “why” doesn’t matter. There’s nothing we can do about what has already happened. Why did your company downsize your job? Why did I get multiple sclerosis? I can wonder, but what difference does it make? The point is deciding what to do now. Continue reading
Recognizing that we don’t own our feelings can be intensely liberating. Feelings come from somewhere. They are a reaction to something, but they are not our property. My usual reaction to the world’s problems is sadness or melancholy. The sadness is real, but it is not mine. Focusing on sadness is just a habit I’ve picked up. Nothing bad will happen to me or anyone else if I put it down for a while. Continue reading
If you can be happy for other people’s good fortune, you will have an endless supply of things to be happy about. Continue reading
