Perfectionism isn’t always about the work. Sometimes it’s about image. A reflection on finishing something meaningful and learning to let it be seen.
Most of us will take hundreds of millions of breaths in a lifetime, and no two are exactly the same. This reflection explores “future tripping,” the way our minds rehearse what hasn’t happened yet, and how two or three intentional breaths can bring us back to what’s true right now.
New Year’s can quietly turn into a pressure cooker. A reflection on the “clean year” myth, happiness as a checklist, and choosing small returns back to what’s real instead of more pressure.
In the hours before becoming a grandfather, I found myself reflecting on presence, family, and what we carry forward from the generations before us. Sometimes the most meaningful moments are found in the waiting.
I’m a former Christian pastor who now aligns with Buddhist principles and practices, and this reflection shares how I got from one place to the other. My journey isn’t a blueprint—it’s simply an honest look at where life has led me.
We speak thousands of words each day — but how often do we notice their impact? This reflection explores how mindfulness and the Buddhist teaching of Wise Speech can transform the way we communicate. Through personal examples and gentle awareness, it’s a reminder that every word creates a ripple.
When the clocks turn back and the days grow shorter, it’s easy to feel like something’s slipping away. But these darker days remind us to pause, to look back just long enough to learn — and then to return our eyes to the road ahead, moving forward with a little more peace and presence.
Last weekend, Emily and I were in Chicago — and it just happened to be marathon weekend. Watching the runners brought back a flood of memories from my own eight Chicago Marathons. What stood out most wasn’t race day, but the training — the quiet, consistent miles that no one sees. Those “treadmill days” taught me that the real work happens long before the finish line.
On one of those long solo runs years ago, something clicked: the most important mile isn’t the one ahead or behind — it’s the one I’m in. It’s the only mile I can enjoy, and the only one I can do anything about. That truth has carried me through recovery and through life — a reminder to stay present in the mile I’m living right now.
Golf will test your patience — not just with your own swing, but with the actions of others. Just like life, people will sometimes “hit into us” — push too hard, disrupt our peace, or act in ways we think they shouldn’t. We can’t stop that from happening. What we can do is decide whether to feed the anger or to step aside and play our own game with presence.
This weekend, my daughter married the love of her life. As I reflect on the day, I am struck by the gift of presence —
