ALL EPISODES

Our pride is tied up in the picture we create of ourselves. It's what we see when we look into the mirror of the mind. But in truth, the whole thing is made up. We are not the person in our imagination. If we could eliminate this perception of ourselves, we would be free of pride. And pride is effectively the fence we build up around us.

When I'm watching a movie and something bad happens to a dog or a baby or a little girl or boy, or even a grown woman. I feel pretty sad for them. But you know who, I don't feel bad for almost ever. Men, typically. I'm just waiting for them to suck it up and move on to trying to fix the problem. Watch.

What in life deserves our time and attention, and what things don't? I hope that as we consider that question, along with other topics...

I love the old Shaker song, Simple Gifts. I don't entirely know why the idea of being simple resonates so much, but I thought it might be an idea worth exploring. Maybe it's a gift to be simple. Because if you can be satisfied while living simply, then you've found contentment. Speaking as a person that feels they have a complicated life, the very idea sounds like relief from the hustle and bustle of the day.

I don't like the word vulnerability. To me, it strikes a tone of weakness. I think I understand what people are getting at when they say that we need to be vulnerable. The problem with vulnerability is that the word actually means that you are susceptible in some way to an attack from someone or something.

Sometimes things happen to us that are so terrible, that in a moment, everything in our world changes. There may be well-wishers and concerned friends and family, but as time moves forward, things will slip back into their normal pattern while you are left standing still. When you lose someone in your life that you loved.

.When I was younger, I used to watch a popular Japanese anime movie called "Spirited Away." I'm not generally a fan of that genre, but this particular film is a standout for me. It's steeped in Japanese cultural references from the past and has themes of childhood, modernization, gluttony, and more. The artwork alone is really quite striking.

My kids like to tell me what they can't do a lot. And sometimes it's trying a new food or doing some little thing that they're afraid of. As a parent, it can get frustrating when you know how easy it would be for them if they'd just do it. Usually when my kids are with me, I'll let them have a small dessert, like a little popsicle or something, if I can tell that they've made an effort to eat their food.

As I've gotten a little older, I've begun to notice all the small signs of aging beginning to show. I see the faint wrinkles starting to form and the rough skin that has seen way too much sun. When I began to notice these imperfections, I think it bothered me at first because I wasn't ready to accept that I was becoming middle aged.