The Coffee Steam

Most would think that writing is only for writers. Not so. Writing is for everyone. Psychologists have found (few decades ago) that writing is, in fact, very therapeutic . Because it forces introspection, it increases (the writer's) self-knowledge. And sometimes, even, understanding. Personally, I find it redemptive. So I write to heal. But sometimes words just don't come easy. Many times when I sit here in my desk—meaning to put my thoughts into words—my mind just goes black, much like the screen in front of me. Monitor going to sleep . My fingers freeze on the keyboard. And I procrastinate...yet again. But today is different. I've willed myself not to ignore the prompting within anymore. Because you'll never know what you could be missing by ignoring such moments of inspiration. And today I have one such rare moment. Still, I struggle. Here are some I've hastily scribbled on now crumpled papers in my desk before I finally got around to typing out this post

Waking up earlier than usual, I instinctively unhooked the guitar hanging above my bed and began strumming a familiar tune that's been stuck in my head all night. The somber acoustic tune quickly fills my room, each note fading into the distant sound of birds singing and hushed blowing of the wind through the trees … I played on until my fingers hurt. Then it hit me. Déjà vu . A light, giddy feeling swelled within me … a familiar feeling I've had a few years back. A memory. Like it just happened yesterday. And I held on to the feeling for a moment. Ever had those rare moments when an emotion suddenly overwhelms your senses and all you can do is surrender to its powerful grip and lay down your defenses? That feeling. All of it. With a curious mix of awkwardness and delight at this thought, I realized what it was: the four-letter word that breaks even the most stubborn stoic. Love. I remember the day it slipped away … And somehow I just let it. It was a choice. A pain

Hanging onto spirituality to make one's self feel good all the time can only take one so far until one succumbs to doubt. A spiritual dead end. Falling out of faith doesn't really take so much as one tiny crack left unnoticed, or worse, unattended to. Petty disappointments and unanswered questions—all seemingly trivial, insignificant issues—add up over time. For some, faith is a fragile thing, easily shattered leaving a calloused soul in its wake. Hardened by indifference … and apathy … and scepticism. It's why we all need redemption. Every. Single. Day. For it is in our darkest moments that we find ourselves desperately straining for the slightest glint of light. But sometimes all we can do is grope our way out. And find forgiveness. “I rejected the church for a time because I found so little grace there. I returned because I found grace nowhere else.” ― Philip Yancey

Life isn't always smooth sailing. Many times, all you can do is row. Life exempts no one. I’ve had my boat rocked to its core and capsized so many times yet I never got used to all the rocking. It can be anything but boring. (I assure you.) But soon I learned that to survive, you got to rock with the boat until it sails on quieter waters. Every time I find myself knocked flat on my face for the countless times when fate is so unkind—pulling the rug from under my feet, leaving me sprawling helplessly on the ground—i pull myself up over and over again. And I trudge on brushing the dust off my now calloused knees. We'll all have our fair share of troubles. Some of us can get easily overwhelmed; some panic at the slightest tilt of the boat, or the mere sight of the crashing waves. Struggling with his own share of rough waters, Dr. M. Scott Peck on one of his bestsellers, The Road Less Traveled , wrote: Once we truly know that life is difficult—once we truly understand and

What sets you apart? I'd like to think I've always been a non-conformist. Some mistake it as aloofness … some, indifference … or simply introversion . For how does one draw the line between self-confidence and conceit? individuality and eccentricity? authenticity and faked sincerity? The differences can be very subtle … almost unnoticeable. So to make one's mark in this life—choosing between fitting in and standing out—one has to do a bit of both. Here's a quick list of ways that have helped me balance between fitting in and nonconformity in my personal life: Respect other people's beliefs especially when they're not your own. We won't always agree, and so we must accept each other's unique ideologies. To each his own. Stand by your own truth, sure, but never try to force it down anyone's throat. Give credit where credit is due.  Stop seeking validation other than that which is freely given. It's better to deserve honor and not have

There will be times when life becomes really grindy, the stresses unbearable. And that deep sense of helplessness … and self-pity … and rage … all at once gnaw their way into your soul, eating you up inside. You'd feel like it's your worst time yet, or so it would seem. While some of us may succumb to despair and never recover; there are those who can withstand their most difficult times and come through unscathed. Like the lowly bamboos amidst the darkest storms, they bend but do not break.  In these times, we need to be pliant in order to thrive; and to develop the life skill of resilience . Here are three practical ways we can manage life resiliently: Stop taking (almost) everything personally. Realize that it's not always about you. Most of the times nothing others do or how they behave has anything to do with you or about you (personally). When you always take things personally, you are giving other people more power over you than they deserve or should ever