Perseverence
“There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.”
– Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
Photo of children praying outside Mandela’s hospital by Odd Andersen
Marriage Free For All
After today’s exhilarating news that will take us one step closer to marriage equality, I decided to try an experiment. To demonstrate gratitude for such tangible human progress, I challenged myself for 24 hours to keep my petty grumbling about other humans at bay. Would it be possible in the car to be generous with the person cutting ahead of me from the right lane? While walking the dog, could I not sneer at the pedestrian so glued to his cell phone that he practically runs into me? How long do you think I lasted?
Photo by Melanie Bonajo
Down the Rabbit Hole
Earlier this month, I went to a dermatologist (first time ever) for a hive-like spot on my cheek. It took a few weeks to get sorted out, and it turned out to be no big deal. But along the way, I must have destroyed a few brain cells, as my mind locked into a worst-case scenario obsessive loop. Don’t worry twice? Yeah, right.
Illustration by Marc Johns
Enjoying Summer Solstice
It’s beautiful outside and I’m on the couch with a dog and a book. What a slice of heaven.
Interior with a Book by Richard Diebenkorn is part of an exhibit, The Berkeley Years, opening June 22nd at the de Young Museum in San Francisco.
A Reminder Not to Take Greatness for Granted
HBO’s statement about James Gandolfini’s death: “He was special man, a great talent, but more importantly a gentle and loving person who treated everyone no matter their title or position with equal respect.” I miss him, already.
What Did You Practice Today?
A friend who recently lost her job is having a hard time managing anxiety. I get it. I’ve been there. She won’t run out of money soon, so it’s not the immediate future that’s frightening. It’s the potential horror. One of the most useful bits of advice a therapist gave me was to suggest that I ask myself in my moments of great fear: Is everything okay “right now?” And if the answer is yes (which it most usually is), then she urged me to stay as close as I could to the “right now.” I talked about that with my unemployed friend today. It takes a lot of practice. I’m working on it.
Image via Brain Pickings
Archive for June, 2013
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FIRST PERSON SINGULAR is a guide to surviving, thriving and sometimes just getting through a single day. Created by Wendy Braitman (more…)
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