When I was little and felt like running away, my dad would grab my hand and say, “Here…I’ll go with you.” Together we’d wander through the mists and ponderosa pine forests of California’s foothills until there was nothing left to do but go home. Today is one of those days. Not so different from any…

Do not think that you will find truth or justice in a court of law where two sides are equally interested in telling only part of the story. That is a last and often ill-advised resort. Whenever possible, resolve issues sooner and in more constructive ways. Whenever you hear someone say, “The evidence says…,” or…

Relationship is not defined by communication. It is defined by commitment, compassion, and goodwill. Out of necessity, I communicate regularly with people who care very little about me and who probably secretly rejoice when I suffer. Conversely, my four dearest friends and I hardly interacted for nearly 25 years, but when our paths crossed again…

That which enslaves our minds enslaves our actions.

When I think of how wrong people’s perceptions are of me—even those who claim to know me best—I’m forced to acknowledge how wrong my perceptions must be of others, even those I think I know best, including myself.

Trust is the most valuable medium of exchange.

If we talk long enough, we reveal who we really are. If there are things we say to some that we know better than to say to others, we know better. And that’s dangerous ground. The bigger problem is that we see it only as dangerous ground for others.

I’ve been thinking about legacies. About how simple and beautiful and direct they can be. About how we might be born to sing one song or write one letter or preach one sermon or simply have one conversation that somehow lives on and changes the world, and how all our agonizing about the endless day-to-day…

Trust is the essence of love. That’s why love looks so much like innocence.

It’s possible to be addicted to any number of things. Food, relationships, music, routines. Addiction prevents you from thinking and freely making newly-informed decisions. Addictions make you unable to respond to the needs of the moment without thinking of loss to self. It defines gain in the negative. Love, devotion, and commitment are thinking, freeing…

When a rattlesnake drops into your canoe, it makes no difference how fast you try to paddle away.