On Writing

Writing as a Spiritual Practice

My wife Courtney and I spent our first five months as parents in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.  When our daughter Lucy was born over three months before her due date, there was little we could do for her other than sit by the side of her isolette and read story books to her. 

In the beginning, we cared for Lucy in close collaboration with the incredible nurses and other medical professionals who were working hard to keep her alive.  In time, the nurses encouraged us to get involved in Lucy’s day to day care, at first in little ways like taking her temperature or replacing her Sat probes, then stepping up to bigger tasks like giving her a sponge bath in a pink hospital basin. Read more

Reflections on Storytelling

“Let me tell you a story.”  There is something so simple and elegant about this modest plea, usually made by one friend to another.  We are storytellers and each of us has a deeply held desire to share our stories, to hear the stories of others, to find those threads that connect us and give meaning to our lives.  Storytelling, that act of pausing and being present with one another, is an essential part of being human. Read more

Imagining Sisyphus Happy

Imagine living with a machine that controls your emotions.  The machine is not some kind of automated Dr. Feelgood enabling you to program your preferred mood each day.  You do not control the machine.  The machine controls you.  During the day, it sits on the end table by your couch and at night it is several feet from your bedroom door.  You must always remain within hearing distance of its alarms. Read more