“The unexamined life is not worth living” - socrates

REFLECTIONS

We find such treasures when we look inward. Reflections illuminate, challenge, inform, and heal. This page is devoted to my inner thoughts in the hopes that someday when my grandchildren are grown, they will come to know me, hear me, and feel my love for them. I also hope these stories refresh my daughters’ memories and feel like we are around a kitchen table or talking on the phone.

I have long kept journals but thought I would try something new, inspired by a wonderful book called The Daily Stoic (public library). I have deepened my readings around this ancient philosophy over the past decade and author Ryan Holiday is among my favorite resources. This book offers a daily quote from one of the ancient Greek Stoics and a short reflection. I decided I would take each quote and write my own thoughts on each topic to better explore how it informs my life.

I don’t intend for this to be instructive. Rather, I hope to inspire the practice of a similar daily ritual that fits your own life. There are so many things we unsuccessfully chase to make our lives happier and more fulfilling. Here is something that actually works based on my personal experience, as well as all the current science on happiness and well-being. I love you so much. I don’t want you to find happiness. I want you to learn to create it. - Granny

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Jan 26, 2020

There is one thing I have found very useful when I am afflicted by mental obsessions - craving cookies, what the labs will say, will her plane crash, I hate the government. Negative ideations grounded in fear. They rob me of my peace of mind. Or better stated, it is “I” who rob me of my peace of mind.

Some may have success with a mantra to remind them of their power to choose their thoughts, such as Marcus Aurelius suggests in his Meditations. Sadly, that had never been enough for me, that is, until I read the following story about an exchange with Chao Chou and one of his students.

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Jan 26, 2020

Jan 25, 2020

Keith and I started our life together when we were both seventeen. Over five decades later, I think one of the best things we did very early in our life together was create a strategic plan. We didn’t know that’s what it was called at the time, but we knew intuitively we needed a plan and how important it was for the future years ahead.

We charted our most deeply-held values, the ones that informed our very being on this planet. We discussed our biggest dreams, and brainstormed how to achieve them. We sketched out our life and its trajectory. We prioritized. We set goals. We wrote it down, reviewed and refreshed it each year.