An urgency to live well grows in us when we see our parents growing old. Or at least that’s what happened to me yesterday. “It felt like a few days ago when we took these pictures,” my mom said to my son as she showed him an album of Polaroid pictures of me when I…More
Tag Archives: Family
The Best Thing About Our Baby Having a Cleft Lip and Palate
Our son was born with a birth defect called a cleft lip and palate. This happens when the lip and roof of a baby’s mouth doesn’t fully close up in the womb creating a gap, thus the “cleft.” During almost all of the pregnancy, we went about our lives completely unaware of it. Finding About…More
We could have been homeless—A story
It was the end of February, and I was scared. Something was going on in China. It was shrouded and strange but scary. People were getting sick, and many were dying, and it was growing at an alarming rate. I started to suspect that it was already in NYC. “I mean, how could it not…More
Get things done when working from home (even with kids)
Working from home can sound fantastic, with all of that freedom and no commute, but it’s not always easy. Sometimes it can feel impossible. But it’s not. Yes, you get to roll out of bed and be at your desk in a couple of steps without even needing to put a shred of clothing on…More
Cleft repair surgery and coronavirus—a story
It was a beautiful morning in the city, with spring in the air and magic around every corner. But for me, New York didn’t blossom in my eyes; it was different for us. I was taking our nine-month-old baby in for surgery. He had a cleft palate (and lip, but that was already repaired). A…More
Are you living for the right person?
We all live for people. But are you living for the right person? Maybe you became a buttoned-up lawyer because your parents “made” you, when you really wanted to be an artist in paint-covered jeans, flicking the perfect strokes like Bob Ross, but it was too “impractical.” Now, you’re miserable. Or, maybe you’re feeling frantic…More
Make the time to do what you love by thinking like this
Sometimes we can think that we don’t have the time to pursue what we’ve always wanted to do. But, you do. You always do. Do you know why? Because following our dream is a choice. You can choose to reprioritize your time, what you do with it, how you fill it. Stop saying yes to…More
Feel behind in life? You needn’t
You’re not behind. You’re right where you need to be. Just because so and so got that amazing title in their 20’s, or grew their business, published their book, got married, had kids, and did their thing before you did, that doesn’t mean you’re behind. You’re on your own track. You have your own story. Look…More
Surprising love in a city of strangers
Silver doors quickly slide open, and my family and I piled into the subway car with everyone else. All of the seats were taken: It was morning rush hour. But, our five year old whined, “I waaannt toooo siiiit.” Mortified, we tried to hush him thoroughly. But before we did, a man in his fifties…More
Fatherhood: Reflections on the last days of summer with my son
Popcorn, beer, and fans in blue surrounded us. Summer sun was beating down; a cool wind comforted us; and the crowd roared when a homerun soared over the back wall. His face glowed with hope and joy as we sat: My son and I perched in the Bronx. He knew that I didn’t like staying…More
John Pa 