Recovery. Sobriety. Living Wise.
Sometimes in my life I have stumbled into lessons that seem unusual and unconventional. On my recent trip to Mumbai, India I found myself a student once again. The topic was acceptance. I had returned after almost three years for what I hoped was a final round of major dental work, to an exceptional clinic and an oral surgeon who had become a friend. India taught me much … Continue reading Return to India
My good friend Hiraman Gavai offers some thoughts in this morning’s post. I met Hiraman many years ago in Brussels when we both worked for the same non-profit. He currently resides in Pune, India with his dear wife Mangala. While we’ve been separated by distance we speak a common language, one the writer Henry David Thoreau calls the language of meaning. Hiraman and I caught up again … Continue reading Friendship
Friends, This is Thanksgiving Day weekend in the United States. As I stopped to consider what I’m grateful for, my thoughts quickly went to the natural beauty that surrounds us everywhere, if we remember to stop and notice. These images of flowers, in their exquisite detail, caught my attention. I invite you take a few minutes to look around, whatever the season where you live, … Continue reading Unspeakable Beauty
I read a quote (uncredited) the other day that caught my attention: “Never blame anyone in your life. The good people give you happiness, the bad people give you experience, the worst people give you a lesson, the best people give you memories.” It struck me that when I look into the mirror in the morning all four characters stare back: the good, the bad, … Continue reading The Power of Thoughts
What happens when relationships are irreparably broken and beyond the reach of reconciliation or grace? Sometimes, they may be over. But sometimes, I have discovered, they can be unaccountably restored. A foundation of the 12 steps: “God did for me what I could not do for myself.” I deeply appreciate the term “higher power” embraced by 12-step programs of all stripes. It allows everyone, from the atheist … Continue reading Reconciliation