Passing Death: A Birthday Reflection

You know I don’t believe much in coincidences. The story of my life has too many coincidental examples of connecting the dots. So yesterday when I passed by an informal funeral procession on the interstate, I considered the symbolism in seeing death on the day before my birthday. I had just treated myself to aContinue reading “Passing Death: A Birthday Reflection”

Everybody’s Somebody

Her hair, pulled up on top of her head with a clear straight line between her graying roots and the brown she’d dyed the rest of her ponytail, not only made her look more youthful than she was, but it was also the perkiest part of our interaction. She had a kind face, but itContinue reading “Everybody’s Somebody”

Challenge Your Perspective

Once upon a time when I was teaching yoga, there was a week when I subbed three classes in a row. I needed a theme that would reach out to a diverse group of practitioners at different, respective levels. So I did what I always do when in doubt: I winged it. No but really,Continue reading “Challenge Your Perspective”

Snap Back to Now

Where do you live? I don’t mean physically; I mean mentally. Where do the majority of your thoughts reside – in reflecting on the past, in projecting to the future, or in immersing into the present? We all have thoughts that fit into each of those categories, but if you sincerely reflect on the percentageContinue reading “Snap Back to Now”

Feel Everything Deeply

Emotions just aren’t a sexy topic for most people. Or at least, in a glamorized world of social media highlight reels, undesirable emotions aren’t liked, double tapped, or retweeted. It’s interesting how we have come to categorize emotions in a polarized way: some emotions are “good” while others are “bad.” It’s okay to feel happiness,Continue reading “Feel Everything Deeply”

Ethics: The Cornerstone of Hope and Disaster

I recently found a company I really, really wanted to write for, and I was asked to write a one-pager that described what ethics is and why it’s important to reflect on in our work. Because I feel so strongly about the value of integrity, I’m sharing my essay here. Enjoy! While I’d love toContinue reading “Ethics: The Cornerstone of Hope and Disaster”

When Being a Human is Really, Really Hard: A Call to Love

The hardest flight of my life was from Oklahoma City to my hometown back in 2004. At age 18, I had just learned that my brother, at age 21, was dead. When I hung up the phone from the call no one ever wants to receive, I screamed. Wailed. Sobbed. Punched the pillows that wereContinue reading “When Being a Human is Really, Really Hard: A Call to Love”

Soul Stories: When Death Strikes Too Soon

The last time my brother was alive on May 17, his birthday, was the year 2004. I’ve now lived through 12 years of birthdays without the birthday boy. He died just a few weeks later as a 21-year-old boy doing things 21-year-old boys do. I was 18. I don’t typically speak about my grief becauseContinue reading “Soul Stories: When Death Strikes Too Soon”