It happened at a café one morning.I was a little bit jetlagged, standing in line for coffee, when someone walked right in front of me and ordered first. For a second, I froze. That little spark of irritation came up, the kind that whispers, Whattt, Seriously? In my head, I started building the usual story; maybe … Continue reading The Skill of Not Taking Things Seriously
Last week in Melaka-Malaysia, a small but very beautiful and aesthetic city, I had a simple but unforgettable moment. My husband and I were wandering through one of the old museums, the kind filled with antique porcelain, carved wooden furniture, and fragile handwritten letters. The air carried the faint scent of dust and varnished wood, … Continue reading The Beauty of Doing Things Slowly
A few weeks ago, a friend asked me, “Do you think the market will crash again? I’m scared my savings won’t survive.” It reminded me of myself a few years ago, refreshing the stock app every hour and playing out doomsday scenarios in my head. At the same time, I was worrying about smaller things: … Continue reading The Art of Being Ready – and Letting Go
Last month, a friend teased me: “You’re so nice, but also… kind of hard to reach.” I laughed it off, but it stayed with me. Was that a compliment or a quiet complaint? For years, I’ve kept myself approachable: warm, helpful, open. I tried to be someone others felt comfortable reaching out to. I said … Continue reading The Art of Unforgettable Presence
A couple of days ago, I did something small but strangely significant: I texted an old friend. We hadn’t spoken in a while. Things between us had gone off track, not because we stopped being friends, but because life threw us into a disagreement we couldn’t quite navigate. Still, I remembered her. And for me, … Continue reading The Stoic Guide to Being Left on Read
