What Do You Do When You See Suffering?
Earlier this year, bad weather forced a plane to land in Gander, Newfoundland. People from the community voluntarily showed up to shuttle stranded passengers to the local hotel — and were lined up the next day to get them back to the airport. Instead of simply...
Finding Points of Light in the Darkness
The days are short. Darkness comes early. That darkness can feel heavy. But even in a dark season you can find points of light. In this season, we have multiple holidays incorporating candles and light, our communal need for light in the darkness, for hope. For me,...
You Get to Choose
Things feel uncertain right now, unsettled. It’s easy to feel that things are out of control. It’s true there is a lot we can’t control, a lot we can’t change on our own, but that doesn’t mean we’re helpless. It doesn’t mean we should give up on hope or joy. “Remember...
Rest for Resilience
I grew up in New York City. Autumn was my favorite season there. I loved the changing colors of the leaves in Washington Square Park, where I was lucky to live. And I was happy to have cooler weather, as Summer in New York City could be brutal, especially without...
Is It Time to Shake Things Up?
The seasons are shifting. Days are still warm and summery here, but mornings are often chilly. Other colors are showing up among the leaves, and the night sounds are changing as dark comes sooner. Is it time for you to shift your daily rhythm? Our schedules and...
Making Joy and Resilience a Habit
There is a stack of books on my desk that I want to read. I love learning from others through reading. So I collect books from classes I take, from thinkers I love, authors I admire. The book a friend recommends, the one on display at the book store or library that...
How Do You Cultivate Joy?
My birthday is in the summer. July to be more specific. As a kid, I loved my summer birthday. My mom and dad hosted a small birthday party in June while we were at home in New York City. And then, I had another small birthday party in Wellfleet on my actual birthday...
What Compass Guides You Right Now
We can get pulled in lots of directions — work, family needs, causes we care about, the chaos in the world. Sometimes with everything pulling or pushing at us, we can get off course. When that happens to me, I ask myself “what do I value?” Your values are the compass...
Play for Fun and Resilience
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” — George Bernard Shaw When we think about play, many of us think playing is kids’ stuff. The benefits of play, if we recognize them at all, are about improving kids’ social skills,...
Write a Love Letter to a Friend
Our friendships are so important and I value my friendships. And yet sometimes I get “busy” and forget to stay in touch, to reach out and connect. And that leads to both being lonely and also less connection with the people I truly want to be friends with. The month...