As we neared the end of the holiday season in the United States, I found myself in a bustling store alongside other shoppers, inundated by the familiar sounds of the season, including the omnipresent holiday music. As the song referenced in the title of this blog played through the overhead speakers, I paused to reflect …
As a young child, I recall the joy of pushing a yellow triangle through the blue half of a Shape-O ball, twisting it until the three sides aligned with the corresponding hole. My parents smiled and enthusiastically said, “Good job!” This first success with a shape sorter began developing my brain’s ability to categorize, sort, …
After a long day away from home, I sat down to answer emails and respond to text messages, entirely absorbed in my phone’s screen. Suddenly, I felt a warm nudge on my hand as Oreo, my two-year-old pup, pressed his snout against my arm, pushing my phone away. His eyes met mine, as if to …
Remember your first day at a new high school? If you came from a small middle school, that first day might have felt overwhelming. The building was massive, the crowd of unfamiliar faces was intimidating, and the whole experience probably left you a bit on edge. But there were likely steps you took to prepare. …
The world seems to have regained its pre-pandemic pace—or at least the people in it have. Driving from place to place, I notice cars speeding past as if I’m standing still—even when I’m going 5 miles over the posted speed limit. In the grocery store, people rush through the checkout line as if aiming for …
This summer, I’ve been helping out at a dog camp for children. The other day, we were discussing the ways that dogs are similar to humans. Typically, the campers, ages 8-13, start generating ideas like they eat and sleep, and they have eyes and ears, etc. As our camp director and coaches press further, we …
This past week, I witnessed an incident in a retail store that caused me to pause and reflect for a few moments. A hurried worker dropped a box of paper and gift cards that she was carrying. One of her co-workers stopped to help her pick up the spilled contents of the box and I …
In the 1993 movie Groundhog Day, the character Phil (played by Bill Murray) wakes up at 6 AM to his clock radio playing “I’ve Got You Babe” by Sonny & Cher, only to realize he is stuck in a loop, repeating the same day—Groundhog Day—over and over again. The movie uses this concept to great …
As the clock struck 5:00 PM on a pleasant spring evening, Sam rummaged through his backpack for his ringing cell phone. He saw his mom calling and sighed, expecting her to remind him about his band concert. “Hey mom, what’s up?” he answered. “Sam, I’m so sorry, but I won’t be able to make it …
I genuinely appreciate a good bout of frustration. At first glance, that might sound strange, but hear me out. I don’t actively seek situations that will trigger feelings of frustration. I don’t go out in search of things that will trigger feelings of frustration. I don’t love the hot under-the-collar feeling of the physiological response …
