I have a little question for you: “Who is it, or what is it that you most appreciate in life?” Just think of that question. You don’t have to answer it immediately. Sort of let it simmer. You all know that I have a podcast that I talk about living an intentional life and living your best possible life now. You also know that I am a palliative care physician. My medical discipline is one that has a nurse, a…
Happy Wednesday morning my friends, “You don’t knowthis new me,I put backmy pieces,Differently.” I cannot quote who this is from. It was on a card a good friend sent me. I love receiving cards like the old times. I have been thinking quite a bit about this. If you don’t like who you have become, you can become who you have always wanted to be. You are not a painted wall. You are a chameleon. If you could do whatever…
Happy Monday morning my friends, “You have no idea how hard I’ve lookedFor a gift to bring You.Nothing seemed right.What’s the point of bringing gold toThe gold mine, or water to the ocean.Everything I came up with was likeTaking spices to the Orient.It’s no good giving my heart and mySoul because you already have these.So I’ve bought you a mirror.Look at yourself and remember me.” -Rumi I had the greatest weekend. It was my daughter’s 14th birthday. Birthdays are big…
“Whenever you feel superior or inferior to anyone, that’s the ego in you.” -Eckhart Tolle We live up on a hill here in Honolulu. What is absolutely beautiful about it is that we have breathtaking views of the ocean. What is not so nice is that if you want to go out for a little 30 minute walk, it’s never leisurely. Well, it’s leisurely in one direction and a punishment the other way. The slope of our hill is quite…
“I dreamed I called you on the telephoneto say: Be kinder to yourselfbut you were sick and would not answerThe waste my love goes on this wayTrying to save you from yourself I have always wondered about the leftoverenergy, water rushing down a hilllong after the rains have stopped or the fire you want to go to be frombut cannot leave, burning-down but not burnt-downthe red coals more extreme, more curiousin their flashing and dyingthan you wish they weresitting there…
“Once we believe in ourselves,We can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight,Or any experience that reveals the human spirit.” -e.e. Cummings How are you doing? Thursdays are my favorite days. They have always been. Growing up in Iran our weeks were different. First day of the week was Saturday and the last day was Friday. So you know the Sunday blues we feel here? It was Friday night blues… It’s funny to think that way now. We did not have two…
“If you need a sign,this is it.” Faryal Michaud I loved the movie Serendipity. I know, it is such a perfect little romantic comedy, isn’t it? It came out at the time of my life that I was all about romantic comedies. The story is about two people who loved each other deeply in a love at first sight kind of way, split up and then spent the next 10 years looking for each other even though they had moved…
“We make pathways in our livesAnd follow blindly till death,Pride lifts our heads,Blinding us to all but the stones we stumble upon,Till Fate brings us down with a sudden blow.” -Rumi Hello there, September! At this moment it is Tuesday night and it is the first of September and a full moon. This being the start of the last quarter of the year, got me thinking, do you set resolutions for yourself? You know, starting Monday I am going to…
When I first heard about meditation, as something people other than buddhist monks do in their regular lives, I was probably in my early twenties. I had a college friend who was really into mindful work way back then. She really wanted to get me into meditating with her. I would ask: So do you have to sit there and close your eyes and think about nothing?I remember telling my friend, “oh, I don’t have time for that.” She would…
This being human is a guest-house.Every morning a new arrivalA joy, a depression, a meanness,Some momentary awareness comesAs an unexpected visitor.Welcome and entertain them all!Even if they’re crowd of sorrows,Who violently sweep your houseEmpty of its furniture.Still, treat each guest honorably.He may be clearing youOut for some new delight.The dark thought, the shame, the malice,Meet them at the door laughing,And invite them in.Be grateful for whoever comes,Because each has been sentAs a guide from beyond. -Rumi I feel like I…