Ever been there? Recently on my flight back home, the pilot announced a landing challenge. Surrounded by unexpected, dense fog, he tells us to fasten our seat belts and prepare for considerable circling above the airport until inclement conditions clear or another landing strip is located. And yes, the tarmac...

As we approach February and the theme of love, I know of no better way to begin what is coming in the next few weeks than to share an interview with someone well-versed in the affairs of the heart, Agapi Stassinopoulos, this week.

Dr. Cara Barker: I know of few...

Twirling the yarn strings to her snow hat, as we stood in the elevator, I asked this little adorable pixie: "How old are you?" Grinning ear to ear, she held out four pink fingers and said: "Four and three-fourths!" It was clear that she was proud of her station in...

According to my calendar, we have launched another new beginning, at least on paper. Funny, isn't it, that we imbue such power to one brief 24-hour period, between Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Around the world we rally for another chance. We party. We light fireworks. The younger set makes...

Some years are better than others. During 2011, we have trudged, like good little soldiers, through protracted periods of winter nights and icy blasts. The heart has grown chilled, anew, every time we have been reminded by politicians that we are not our brother's keeper. As we approach Christmas in...

The issue is beauty, wisdom, love. If there is a better time for this than now, I'd like to know. This year has been a grinder for pretty much everyone we know. Some days, what we value the most can seem very far away, hidden.

As we stand on...

You know the drill. The holidays are here. Regardless what others are doing, you've got your work cut out for you. OK, so I'm not including those who say they are "above it all" and have mastered the holiday ritual, all without a bead of sweat on their brow. Good...

Consider this. What if, in the midst of whatever you are doing right now, this second, the "highest authority" were to "speak" to you? Regardless how you name the "highest," be it God, the Creator, the Field, Buddha, wisdom, your neocortex, the Wakan, the Tao, Sophia, Kwan Yin, the Guadalupe,...

If truth be told, I wasn't going to write this. But, as "way moves on to way," as the poet said, I did. Got the whole thing polished. Went to hit "send" and instead managed to hit "delete." Oh, dear! Ever been there? Ironic, too, since the story I was...

She was distraught. You did not have to be Sherlock Holmes to sense it. Scratching around her blue plate with the tines of her fork, it was clear that something was on her mind. Up to this moment, she'd been relishing her butternut ravioli with gusto, savoring every morsel in...

It is one thing to be at peace when you live alongside Walden, but quite another when unexpectedly, you've landed in Metropolis. Or, is it? It is one thing to find calm at the feet of the masters, in far and distant romantic lands, yet quite another to find such...

September brings a parade of parents each year to the consulting room. This year is no exception. Fueled with concerns about classroom size, cuts in the education budget and capsizing special programs, both afterschool and during the school day, mothers and fathers describe a higher degree of anxiety and stress...

Sure, it sounds like a good idea to "love your enemy" as one master teacher did his best to model. But, when "the rubber meets the road," what does this mean? Loving those who love you is one thing. Sometimes, especially on a "bad hair day," doing a decent job...

We've all seen it. Even if we've turned away, part of being a citizen of the world comes with its requirements. The question is, just what is required if we are to move forward as a people? Is remembering disaster the whole answer?

I am reminded of a sign...

We are, as a people, a sentimental breed. Come anniversaries, it seems we cannot help ourselves but look back over our shoulder, and we do. The good anniversaries, the bad ones, the ugly ones, it doesn't seem to matter. The latter seem to hit especially hard, triggering unresolved resentment, anger,...

Ever look at or listen to a "star" and assume he/she had it "easier" than you? Check this out.

If you believe you are too busy, or feel frustrated by the time it takes to view this, imagine what 22 year old Choi Sung-Bong from...

So much for planning! Remember the old saying "If you want God to laugh, show Him your plans?" Well, the Gipper must be having a good chuckle on me, it seems. Although I had a nifty little topic lined up for this week, something else cut to the front of...

There's nothing quite like Independence Day to ignite the fire of possibility. Remember the first time you saw fireworks? Something magical opens. From the commitment of those who channel creative fire we are the benefactors of shared joy, awe, and inspiration. The question is, what "stops us short" of bringing...

What is the conversation alive in you which you have been unwilling to speak aloud? You know the one. Consider where you might be holding back in doubt or fear of overexposure. What vulnerability is it time to brave in order to declare your word? Whatever serves something greater than...

Composer Eric Whitacre, like you and me, had a dream. But, unlike most, he took a leap of faith in the direction most "responsible adults" would find laughable: becoming a rock star. Moving in the direction of his heart's desire, he did what Joseph Campbell referred to as "leaving the...