I have this recurring image of life as a vast sea, sometimes rough, sometimes placed, and we are navigating it all of the times, sometimes plowing into an iceberg, running around, sailing on on a beautiful  shining surface, caught in awful storms and great calms. I’m not big on metaphors like that but this photo brought the image to mind, that we think our troubles are all ours, that our suffering and disappointment is unique to us. My spiritual work has reminded me of the importance of selflessness, a hard thing to achieve. Everyone suffers, everyone struggles, the spiritual work is to remind ourselves again and again that life is good as well as hard, joyous as well as painful, affirming as well as disappointing.

Wherever you look, if you keep your eyes open, you will see islands of connection, affirmations of love, the gentleness and beauty of the human spirit.