The Benefits of Reading to Your Child
As I grow older, I feel more and more fortunate that my parents read to me when I was young. Seemingly every night as I laid down to sleep, my mom or dad picked up a book to read me to bed. While I don’t yet have children of my own, I feel strongly about how that practice has positively contributed to my life, which is why I’m sharing the benefits of reading to your child with you!
The Benefits of Simplicity
A simple life is a good life. Simplicity is something I’ve been striving for, earnestly, for years now. It began during my time in San Diego, where I witnessed just how complex life can become in a relatively short period of time.
“Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.” -Henry David Thoreau
The Struggle for a Unanimous Decision
Can we really declare a winner by unanimous decision when our viewpoints differ so drastically? Is a unanimous decision really so? Or are most members swayed by the strong opinions of a few? Are those most concerned about fighting for what they think is right often those that get their way?
“A committee can make a decision that is dumber than any of its members.” -David Coblitz
What is to be Gained by Force?
We are so quick to praise the use of force to control people. And to “attempt” to force nature under our control. It is in Nature that the futility of our attempts at control seems to manifest most powerfully. People are more easily controlled. Mass peer pressure makes the job of the oppressor much easier. We oppress ourselves. Our minds suppress what we know, in our hearts, we are truly capable of becoming.
“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” -Albert Einstein
On Einstein and Life
Einstein is arguably one of the smartest men in history. But what is to be made of history’s best? For every Einstein, how many extremely intelligent and potentially influential men and women have been forgotten by the pages of history? Who has written the narrative that we’ve all become familiar with in the early stages of our lives?
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” -Albert Einstein
Exploring the Importance of Newness
I’m constantly striving for something new. I’m seriously afflicted with “the grass is always greener on the other side” syndrome. Why do we struggle to find happiness and contentment in our routines? Is it good, bad, or simply the truth that so many young people are always looking for something new; always ready to abandon what they have at the moment in search of something better? Or is this a natural progression in human evolution? Do we need young people that aren’t content?
“The secret to so many artists living so long is that every painting is a new adventure. So, you see, they’re always looking ahead to something new and exciting. The secret is not to look back.” –Norman Rockwell
Crime: Innate or a Failure of Our Education System?
Why does crime occur? Why are people driven to break the law? Why do entire segments of the human population feel the need to step on other humans in order to ‘get theirs’? Is the education system failing us?
“When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.”
-Nelson Mandela
How Would I Like to be Remembered?
I’d like my life to remind people of the value of always being open to new experiences. If it kills me, so it goes. Life is here to be lived. Now, I don’t consider myself a thrill-seeker. But I also don’t want to spend my life avoiding all risks. There are many things, tangible and intangible, that we can take pleasure in. Some, indeed, may be healthier than others, at least physically.
Self-Trust: Searching Inside
How can one be reasonably monogamous in a world where everybody needs love? How do we differentiate love from lust, from infatuation, from desire, from curiosity, or from simple attraction? So many people on the planet. How do we know when the one is THE ONE?
The Root Cause? An Imaginary Fence?
It’s an Election Year, and as much as one can try to stay away from the constant “Us vs. Them” headlines, it’s impossible not to consider the options, their potential impact on the future of our country, and the root cause of our issues. So how do I feel about the options before me?
Turning Focus Inward
I can’t wait for spring and summer. Springs means graduation. Spring means freedom. Summer means exploration. Self-exploration. Nature exploration. Exploration of the people and world around me, both near and far. I really don’t think I could be much more jazzed about it. I also couldn’t be much more scared.
The River of Life
A river is steady and, yet, constantly changing. On the surface, its appearance may remain unchanged year after year, with the standard seasonal fluctuations of course. But when you dive below the surface you’ll find turmoil, movement, and energy, and you’ll realize the erosive force that a river can be. Every river follows one important rule of nature. To survive, you must adapt. You must be like the river.
Living From The Heart
I’m scared of my heart. I’m terrified of where it might lead me. But I’m open to it. I’m learning to trust it. And, as my trust for my heart grows, my trust for my mind seems to weaken, or at least it begins to fade. Internal conflict isn’t desirable. It’s not a feeling that many of us actively seek.
Karmic Work
Written by Joseph Eberhardt
Health Before Productivity
This sentiment has been lost in the corporate shuffle that is our modern world. We are witness to the workaholic Fortune 500 CEO that says, “I would work 30 hours a day if I could, if it were possible.” Whoa! Really! I would work ZERO hours a day if I could, if it were possible. But, isn’t it?
Pledge to the Earth
While I was in elementary school we used to say the pledge of allegiance every morning. As a child, your world is relatively small and centered tightly on the self. As we grow, we begin to look out at the world and observe its complexities. If you’re anything like me, you begin to realize that it’s hard to know exactly what the United States of America stands for today.
Rise!
Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here?
Riding Waves of Love to a Brighter Future
We are on the edge of a wave, riding a set toward a more conscious future. The wheels are spinning and momentum is building. In some places, it seems as if this impending change is more obvious than in others, but our perception of reality is typically influenced by our immediate surroundings. When we are surrounded by love and affection, it’s easy to notice the world’s sublime beauty. Hate and injustice seem so far away that their existence is largely forgotten.
“The World Is Yours…”
How will this world change for the better in my lifetime? How can I have a positive impact on the people close to me, as well as the larger system as a whole? Am I capable of expressing productive views on the systemic issues I’ve observed? Will I, one day, be capable of conversing with others to help them shed unhealthy ways of thinking?
The Importance of ‘Why?’
It took me many years to start asking this simple question. I’m still learning to appreciate the power of ‘why’. I was a ‘tow-the-line’ kind of kid. I enjoyed making Mommy and Daddy happy, and that meant listening very intently to their wishes and doing my absolute best to abide by their rules. As a young child, this was very easy. I had a one-track mind. All I needed to do was stay on my parent’s good side and life was good; it was fun.
Kawhi Leonard Is The Superstar The NBA Needs
I was a sophomore at San Diego State when Kawhi Leonard first set foot on campus. SDSU’s revitalization under Steve Fisher was well under way, but a successful 2008-2009 campaign, guided by senior point guard Richie Williams, had ended with the team narrowly missing the Big Dance before advancing to the to NIT semifinals in New York, where they fell against Baylor, 76-62.