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Category: Understanding Love

Hope All Is Well

I’m used to people texting me with a specific question or ask or favor in mind.

Which is why when I got a text today that said, “Hey, hope all is well”—it threw me off.

…Because this is all that was sent.

And it wasn’t from a family member or particularly close friend.

Just a thoughtful individual who, as far as I could tell, wanted to express some warm thoughts.

And after thinking about it, the fact that it threw me off made me feel guilty.

Because if it wasn’t something I was used to getting, it’s probably because it wasn’t something I was used to sending. And it made me want to do a better job of expressing warm thoughts just because.

Lord knows we could all use it.

Sand For Bricks

Today, Verizon lost me as a customer.

The short of it is that they made promises they didn’t keep.

They promised certain deals, promised easy corrections, promised fixed bills… and broke those promises over and over and over again.

And it eventually got to the point where I gave them an ultimatum: either we fix this today or I’m going to another company.

After an hour of re-explaining the situation for the tenth time, the manager gave me a number to call… for the tenth time… and said that’s the best he could do.

So I left.

And so should you.

And I’m not talking about Verizon anymore.

I’m talking about businesses, services, and people in general who make promises they don’t keep.

And I’m not even just talking about “I promise” promises… I’m talking about people who don’t follow through with their word. People who say they’re going to do something and don’t.

The foundation of all relationships—be it business, service, or personal—is trust. And trust is built one made and kept promise at a time.

Don’t keep trying to build a house when what someone is giving you is sand for bricks.

Trust those who give you bricks to build houses with.

There’s No Love Twice

You will never love the same person twice.

Why? …Because the person you love now won’t ever be that same person again.

Don’t take your love for granted. Don’t take their love for granted. And don’t assume “forever” based on a snapshot.

Always assume the opposite.

Look at people with fresh eyes. Nurture a healthy curiosity about their soul. Rediscover the love you have for others anew, each day.

Because not only have they changed… but so have you. And for love to last, both parties need to honor change and align with an energy that’s on the same trajectory.


P.s. I also published: 18 Kahlil Gibran Quotes from The Prophet and Insights For Fulfilled Living.

Lost Phone

One of the parents from the Martial Arts school I teach at got rear ended today.

Everyone was okay, but in the midst of the crash, damage assessment, conversation, information exchange, and chaos from those stressful moments—she lost her phone.

And so she came to the school to use the school’s phone to contact loved ones and cancel all of her credit cards.

She commented, “It’s so sad that in today’s world I have to do this. Everything was on my phone. And if I don’t make these calls now, someone will probably find it and capture all of my sensitive information. It’s so sad.”

And just after she finished cancelling her last card… with the most mysterious / serendipitous timing… her husband called the school and said, “Hey! We found her phone. It was turned into the police station by a good samaritan.”

It was almost as though the universe was giving us a little nudge and was saying… there are a ton of great-intentioned people out there, too.

IRL Initiators

The person who initiates in-person, human-to-human gatherings plays a more important role than ever before in modern society.

Why? Because screens are capturing the best of our attention each day and are leaving us with less and less to give to IRL meetups—especially as algorithms, AI, and technology advance to make screens more and more addicting.

By the time we’re done with work or have a space in our schedule when we’re actually able to hang out with people, in-person… we’re exhausted. Or are more tempted by the easy access to screen dopamine than the resistance we might face when thinking about arranging IRL meetups.

I can feel it in myself: a hesitation; a laziness; a doubt; a distraction; a weight; a series of excuses; an expectation; an easier option—when I think about initiating IRL meetups.

And the crazy part is… I know I’m blessed with a circle of close connections who would love to meetup IRL and would laugh at the thoughts of:

  • “Well, I have to get my house perfectly clean before I invite them over.”
  • “I don’t want to set anything up until I know everybody vibes well together.”
  • “They’re probably as exhausted as I am and would rather chill at home than meet up.”

But, I suspect I’m not the only one…

What we need are people who can be proactive. People who can make arrangements, make the calls, discipline themselves with their screens, trash the excuses, and stick to their word.

There used to be a time when this was all there was.

Now… it’s a skill that needs to be built.

…Will you help fill the need for this ever important role?

All In Flight [Poem]

I can’t help
But look away
And turn completely
After looking directly
At light so bright

I can’t help
But bounce back
And stumble clumsily
After two-stepping into beauty
That radiates depth in spite

Even as I fight
I’m just not ready
To soul gaze with infinity
To rhythmically move
Open my heart
And forget the better in sight

Until I lock into you
It takes everything I’ve got
I bear the brightness
Withstand the inner storm
Your forcefield now a black hole
We couldn’t have been more tight

I’m captivated later
By the image of dancing feet
Nothing I felt up there
Existed down here
Where all seemed equal
Just one interrelated energy

—All in flight.


P.s. You can read my other poems here.

What’s Next…?

A parent came up to me yesterday and said, “Happy birthday! I have two questions for you, one work related and one personal… which would you like first?”

…And after we finished talking about the work question (business first, obviously), she asked me, “What’s next now that you’re 35? …What’s going to be your focus for this next year?”

And to be honest, I was a little caught off guard.

I spent a good amount of time reflecting on what I’ve learned over the last year(s), but hadn’t thought about what I want this next year to bring… how I want to change… what I want to focus on or do better…

And after thinking about it a little more, here’s what I decided on: initiate more IRL interactions.

I want to do a better job of inviting people over to my house, getting people together to go out and eat, booking tickets to shows/events and getting a squad together, talking to more strangers, and taking spontaneous trips to meet up with friends scattered around the world.

This is the modern day antidote. This is what I think I need a little bit more of. This is what I think *we all* need a little bit more of…