One thing I know about happiness is that it comes from the narrative of our life. The story we tell ourselves. But too often, we let others write that story for us. Unhappiness and discontent inevitably follow. The only person who can write the story of your life properly is you. In order to change our narrative to an authentic one, one we write ourselves, we must change our perspective, and thus our perceptions of our world. This is not a new idea. Plato explained it in “Allegory of the Cave” over 2,300 years ago. A small change in perception can mean a huge change in what we see. And changing how we see lets us write a new narrative. The Dalai Lama also explores this idea of the relationship between perception and a good life in his book The Art of Happiness (99¢ in the remainder bin . . . maybe you can buy happiness after all!).
This year, several low key conferences have been held about the colonization of Mars. Billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk have been quietly gathering the brain power needed for such an ambitious project. Their goal of having humans live permanently on Mars is not a secret. How they will go about achieving it is another […]
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I don’t know how to remember my son. I know how other parents memorialize their dead offspring. But I am confused for myself. There are no real maps or guidelines that work for me. Perhaps, if I could make sense of his death, it would be easier. But I am no closer to that than
The Scents of my Dead Son Read More »
One guaranteed way to start an argument is to proclaim that one particular place “has the best barbeque.” Like many people, I love barbeque. It started when I was nine years old. We lived on the outskirts of Kansas City, Missouri in a farming community named Belton. One Sunday after church, my father took us
As much as I dread taking classes, it is like regular exercise. it’s good for you in spite of any pain or discomfort.
Upgrading Teacher Skills: Why It Matters Read More »
Of all the horrible things we have had to deal with since my son’s passing, navigating the bureaucracy of death is most annoying. On one hand, all of the paperwork, fees, and legal hoops are petty and inconsequential in the big picture of our loss. Many times, people are sympathetic and they waive or expedite
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My introduction to Bill Cosby occured after the the dishes from our Sunday BBQ had been washed and put away. The smell of brisket and strawberries hung in the air. It was Phoenix in 1964. The summer heat made outside entertainment undesirable, so our neighbor from down the street gave my father a record to
Bill Cosby: Perversions of a Fallen Idol Read More »