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!).
As my three faithful readers might have noticed, I took a week off from writing this column. I always take a week off during my anniversary. Other holidays have lost much of their significance for me. My sons are grown so Christmas isn’t such a big deal any more for example. I usually take my […]
Seven Billion Realities Read More »
On August 21st 2016, the Colorado Springs Gazette published an opinion piece attacking Mylan’s price gouging for the EpiPen and comparing it to price increases by Black Hills Energy. The problem, we are told by the headline, is government regulation and the answer is free market competition. Once again the editorial staff of the Gazette
I was tucking Michael into his bed. He was about two and a half and smelled of Mr. Bubble and baby lotion. His chubby little hands suddenly grasped my face and he stared intently into my eyes. “Got bubbles inna eyes?” he said. I nodded affirmatively. I wasn’t quite sure what he meant. His imagination
Got Bubbles Inna Eyes? Read More »
The growing economic disparity in our country and the world is a problem that gets a lot of attention in the media. Justifiably so since history shows what happens when economic inequality grows unchecked. WWI and WWII are prime examples of the results of such economic shortsightedness. But the growing intellectual disparity in the U.S.
I sat on the floor as my father added tinfoil fans to the rabbit ear antenna on top of our Zenith black and white TV set. The picture went from fuzzy to recognizable shapes. “That’s better,” he said. Then he sat back on the couch with my mother. I sat with my back to 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 play on our homemade Hi Fi system. “You’re
Bill Cosby: Fallen Idol Read More »