We used to live next to The Whitney Museum. From our windows we would see long lines of people, snaking around the modern white building, waiting to absorb contemporary art, as the sun set spraying its varied colored glow over the city with sea breeze air wafting in and around the west side streets. Now…More
Tag Archives: lifelessons
When you worry, think this
Daily bread. in worrying times, it’s what we need—everyday. It’s less about food and more about frame of mind. It’s about shrinking your fear and growing your faith. When we worry, stress, or fret about the present, the future, whether there’s a pandemic or not, daily bread sets our mind aright. It keeps us focused…More
Keeping perspective in crisis: This too shall pass
Yes, I’m afraid. But my fleeting fear rests on this fact: This too shall pass. Coronavirus should be taken seriously. We shouldn’t just keep on hanging out with all of our cohorts, sharing food, drinks, laughs in a crowded space, spraying respiratory droplets all over each other like we’re watering the lawn. Gross, but true.…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
Experience we all need
“Experience” is just another word for making a lot of mistakes. Everyone prizes experience. So go get it. Try things. Break things. Do things. Don’t try to be perfect. Try to be effective. Contribute. Make things. Create value. And after a while. You can say that you’ve done this or that. You’ll be experienced.More
You can win at life by doing this
Sometimes life is hard and feels impossible. But that’s when you should stop thinking about your life and focus on today. Don’t try to tackle life, that’s too much to take on all at once. That’s how you get overwhelmed, depressed, worried. Instead, just attack what you need to do at this moment: the tasks,…More
You’re more than your social media
You’re not your social media account, the number of followers you have, or the likes your post received, or didn’t. You’re not. You’re more—much more. Don’t base your feelings about yourself on your social media stats. They don’t make you inherently better or lesser than anyone else. You’re a human—not just an avatar and collection…More
Your world is changing: Dealing with Coronavirus
Quarantine, pandemic, respiratory droplets, contagious, viral (in a bad way), and death are words swirling around the media, and we shouldn’t ignore them. My family basically hasn’t left our NYC apartment for a week. My last venture out to a destination where people congregated, like a restaurant, was with a friend at a ramen shop…More
True happiness can’t be bought
The best things in life don’t come with a receipt. But all of our lives we’ve been told—no, sold—that if we buy this or that thing we will be sexy, better, satisfied, happy. But it’s not true. We’ve been duped. I remember going into stores and buying this or that article of clothing for my…More
Dealing with the fear of Coronavirus
You’re thinking about it; I’m thinking about it. Let’s talk about it. What is it? Coronavirus. A couple of nights ago, I was sitting in this ramen shop waiting for my friend, when I heard it: Coughing. Two women seated next to me coughed with this dry wheezing kind of cough. Maybe you would have…More
John Pa 