“Che brutto giorno!” (“What an ugly day!”) the woman scowled, dragging on her cigarette as she looked out at the pouring rain, flooding the streets into rivers. Rosario and I felt otherwise. Laughing as we splashed through the puddles, we jumped from doorstep to doorstep, stopping to make out and embrace under each dry alcove. We arrived back to …
Lighten Up!
Why are we so intense in our culture? Why do we tend to work so hard and take ourselves and life so seriously? What happened to our carefree days of childhood, when we would spend all day playing, laughing, and eating? Perhaps school squashed the lightness out of us, perhaps our families did, or perhaps both. How do we regain it …
Drawing – and Moving – the Line
As I’ve been constantly accosted by Italian men on this trip, one of the major lessons I’ve been experimenting with is personal boundaries. On the one hand, arriving to this passionate country as a typical uptight American, product of the Puritan heritage, I knew that I had to lighten up and relax. On the other hand, I know that I …
Unleashing Your Passion
When’s the last time you had really amazing sex? When’s the last time you’ve moaned in ecstasy during an orgasm or while eating or drinking something that made your toes curl? When’s the last time you’ve gasped with delight at the beauty of a painting or sculpture, hooted spontaneously, or were moved to joyful tears by the colors of a really …
How to Be Happy When Your Life is Crappy
How to be happy is no easy question, nor is there a short answer. Great philosophers and spiritual teachers have spent centuries tackling the quest for human happiness. Letting go of struggle and negativity and freeing yourself to joyously love and be loved is a lifelong journey. Meanwhile, there are a few basic check-points on the road map to happiness that …
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
In difficult situations, it’s often hard to know whether to stay in the situation or walk away, emotionally or literally. Playwright Tennessee Williams advises, “There is a time for departure even when there’s no certain place to go.” On the other hand, Buddhist nun Pema Chodron recommends that we “sit in the fire” until our powerful urges to run away …