Have you ever noticed how we view everything through a comparison lens?

Two souls can stand in the same place, see the same scene, and yet walk away with opposite truths. What’s a closed door for one may be a window for another.

Our perspective paints the meaning.

Almost instantly, we imagine how things could be—better, bigger, calmer, cleaner, faster, healthier, kinder, louder, friendlier, quieter, or understood.

It’s a never-ending loop of striving and adjusting; frankly, it’s exhausting.

Our reality is shaped by a personal lens, crafted from our upbringing, character, and past experiences. Two people can look at the same situation and draw completely different conclusions. Common sense isn’t always […]

I set out to live a simple, uncomplicated life when I retired. At the time, I believed that meant cutting out anything that might disrupt that intention.

However, in my effort to curate peace, I found myself swinging between extremes—chasing clarity at one end and total detachment at the other.

It took time to realize that true serenity doesn’t live in either extreme but rather in the quiet space in between. It’s hard to take offense when you’re not planted at one extreme or the other, but instead resting in the middle. From that centered place, compassion and understanding come more naturally, because no one feels too far away to reach.

By all means, seek out like-minded souls for comfort and connection—but also […]