Category: <span>Uncategorized</span>

-The Golden Lion Tamarins, aren’t they cute?

I spent a fun day at the zoo last weekend. It was fun walking around the zoo, seeing the vast diversity of the animals. So many different creatures in different sizes, shapes, and colors. Some were so cute and some were scary. One thing that struck me was the unity amongst them all. They all were living beings striving to live their lives; from the giant elephant to the tiny leaf-cutter ants.

It’s very important to nourish our Inner Child and do playful activities that we once did as children, like going to the zoo. The term Inner Child simply refers to our sense of spontaneity, liveliness, playfulness, and creativity. So in that sense, we all have an Inner Child. But some of us are disconnected from that part of our Self for various reasons; for example, not having had the opportunity to be playful as children because we were expected to “behave” at all times and act like a grown up, or maybe because at some level we have numbed ourselves to emotional pain and in doing so we live a dull life, or we are concerned about being judged by others if we are playful.

One easy step in helping us to reconnect with our Inner Child is to incorporate time for play in our “super busy” schedules. Play gives us an opportunity to be spontaneous, energetic, and lively. Ultimately, reconnecting with our Inner Child helps us live a more joyful life- and isn’t that what we all want?

I was at the airport picking up a family member today. While I was waiting for my guest to arrive, I was purposefully observing people at the airport. It was quite interesting! Some were eagerly standing by the gate waiting for their guests. When their guests arrived, they passionately hugged each other, smiled at each other, and looked happy. As I was seeing these warm exchanges at the “Arrivals” zone, I couldn’t help but think about the “Departures” zone of the airport where people were sadly saying goodbyes and leaving.

I had never noticed how the airport so clearly demonstrates the cycle of life under one roof. Arriving, beginning, saying hello, and then, departing, ending, and saying goodbye.

And of course, what matters most is the quality of our stay between arrival and departure.

This is usually how it goes when it comes to practicing patience. And that’s precisely why patience is said to be a virtue!

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost… I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place.
But, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes me a long time to get out.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in. It’s a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immediately.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

I walk down another street.

― Portia Nelson, There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk: The Romance of Self-Discovery

Hold fast to dreams,

For if dreams die,
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams.
For if dreams go,
Life is a barren field
Covered with snow.

– Langston Hughes

We all desire to live a happy life, mere survival does not satisfy us. And that’s where things get complicated and tricky! “What’s a happy life? Am I happy? Why I’m not happy? How do I live a happy life?” These are questions that most of us have reflected on at some point in our lives. It’s easy to get caught up with the expectation of living a happy life. I believe there’s no such thing as living life on a linear line of happiness without any disruptions or ups and downs. That’s just not real. Life is full of experiences and some of those experiences are simply not happy ones. Pain and pleasure are intertwined in real life. I think what’s most important and practical is that we strive to live a rich, authentic, and meaningful life with a deep sense of gratitude. Happiness will be a guaranteed byproduct of living such a life.