I loved the depth of this article because I would be so quick to say that my youth sans any kind of electronic devices was exceptional insofar as my freedom and ability to create my own fun. The only demand from my parents was to be home by dinner time. And I was never allowed the luxury of sitting in front of the TV on weekends. It was up, do your chores such as mandatory cleaning and then out the door. I lived by a large river, pond and park so endless opportunities for swimming, boating, ice skating, sledding, riding bikes, climbing trees, pick up games of baseball, tennis and basketball. Very active and lots of kids to play with. Shocking by today’s standards because my parents never really knew where or what we were doing! I loved my childhood but when I entered my catholic school, it was a disaster of stifling rules, regulations and rote memorization learning. Culture shock for sure! I certainly don’t know the answers here. I did not enroll my own kids in a lot of activities when they were young. We did a lot of outdoor explorations in nature, went to the library, museums and they took an art class each summer with friends. They got to play a lot. I did not allow the very early addition such as video games, which caused initial arguments but I held fast. In my opinion, I think they had a good balance. I feel for my kids now as they have families and have to navigate this new, very technological world.

Very uplifting and hopeful. A great way to start my day - enjoy!

Simply Beautiful.

Wow, crazy. Especially not having AC in hospitals.

Wow, Perel’s insights about AI are spot on. It has made me curious to listen to her podcast.

Something to seriously contemplate this July 4th.

Very interesting. I always was very interested in India’s Ayurvedic System of medicine. I believe in the mind/body/spirit approach to health, how could you not, in my opinion. However, if a patient comes in near death, perhaps one would initially need an integrated approach given the gravity of the situation. But I would never not address one’s diet, exercise and connection to something beyond one’s self, which could be a deity or nature itself. I deeply respect herbal medicines and have used them myself under the supervision of a medical doctor.

Beautiful. I worked in hospice and found all of this to be true. Sacred is the perfect word, so is presence.

This is profoundly poetic, deep, meaningful and full of grace. I’m inspired, touched, amazed and grateful to have read these words. In a world of distraction, I am choosing what I focus on. And love wins all the time.

Another exceptional article! The questions listed here are critical for your health and well being. Love this: “Your energy doesn’t lie; it’s the most accurate compass you have.” Being authentic is your ticket to freedom.

A BIG amen to this!!! I totally embrace this with all my heart and soul.

I draw inspiration from such courage and altruism.

Love this. Some really great points of comparison. It is the inner life that is most important. There is always a tipping point when there is an imbalance. And I do feel the pendulum ready to swing towards reclaiming our hearts and souls. And that leads to creativity, self expression, authenticity - freedom.

Beautiful. Nothing like walking in nature and listening to the birds. And just allowing what arises. It’s a great unwinding.

So grateful to the arts that allow for the creative expression of all manner of topics. It’s a way to reach so many that feel alone, left out or marginalized. Wives/mothers certainly fit that description.

Truly fascinating. I’d love to hear what McDaniels ex wife and kids have to share concerning their 24 years together. It may be a completely different experience than his students. Who is McDaniels really? Compelling character from my perspective.

This is so tender yet profound. If we could always be this caring, this attentive, nurturing to all beings, would not life be different? What a gift this Christmas morning. Remember to be kind to all beings.

My religious eduction, or rather, indoctrination, was a very painful experience. I was too young to understand such confusing, fearful teachings. But as I went in search of the truth, the one thing that always resonated so deeply within myself was that any god’s true nature was unconditional love. I discovered Marianne Williamson’s work early on in the book A Return To Love. And I never looked back. However, it has taken me years of conscious “undoing” and “unwinding” to really embody the realization that we are powerful ambassadors of love here to co-create with this Source Energy a different kind of world. One that lives from the heart. Love this quote: “We cannot find what we are looking for without realizing who we are.”

Amidst all the fake news and social media posing, it’s such a gift to read something of value from a real person. Inspiring.

Very interesting. Maybe this extravagant movie studio venture will help with our Rodney Dangerfield reputation! Maybe even a change - the NJ Giants!

Fantastic reporting with such rich insights into the supposed “self care” movement. I could give you some great quotes but I don’t want to spoil it for you. Another 10!

Beyond a 10 - a must read!

Grieving, for me, is mental, physical and spiritual in nature. All three need to be addressed for me to even begin to have any hope of a deep healing. And, there is never a time line involved - ever. The more you just allow what arises to come, the more it can move through you.

LOVE love love this article!!! I feel this is a must for everyone to read, to contemplate, to deeply consider. Words have a vibrational frequency, they matter. What vibration are you contributing, voicing, in your everyday conversations?

Really important issue to follow if you are concerned about our democracy.

Important information to keep an eye on as things develop. I love movies and quality prime TV series and the performers who bring them to life. And I’m totally unfamiliar with AI. Intuitively this new venture seems very off putting. In a world of human vs technology, human wins out for me.

Incredibly inspiring to me, resonates completely. I am almost 70 and still desiring to connect and have deep purpose in my life. I obviously have that with my family and friends but also love the encounter with strangers young and old. I feel I have a lot more to give and yet I’m not certain how that looks. I’m currently in the process of finding that out. I am not depressed or frustrated, more curious, open and excited.

I worked in hospice and like Diane Button, I too, found it profound, inspiring and life affirming. Nothing like death to strip away the bullshit and embrace what really matters - love - of self, family, friends, nature, life in all its nuances.

Wow, what a morning blessing these photos provide! Stunning! And so uplifting.

I agree with Jeni. I recently watched a food/nutrition summit and all the highly credentialed doctors recommended adding more plants, whole grains, legumes and fruits to their diets. That equals a lot of fiber! The new emerging “medical field” is called Lifestyle Medicine since all the top diseases result from poor lifestyle choices. Very exciting that you can be the one responsible for your own health just by eating whole, unprocessed organic foods, exercising, connecting with others and nature, getting enough sleep, drinking lots of water and managing your stress. This is a recipe to prevent and/or reverse disease. In my opinion it’s worth a try because there are no dangerous side affects.

Such a worthy question - “Why read? What is it about sitting with a book, a quintessential experience of civilized life until very recently, that can’t be automated or replaced?” A 40% drop in Americans who read for pleasure is not only astonishing, it’s sad - in my opinion.

I didn’t want to finish this article but it was like passing a horrific accident - I had to look! Good luck young people, I feel so badly for your lack of trust in yourself. Authenticity is the bedrock of a successful relationship.

An interesting, complex, challenging and creative life makes for a remarkable man. Loved his movies and pleasantly surprised by his artwork. RIP.