Life On A B-I7

Do You Believe in God?

Do you believe in God? It doesn’t matter.

At times I’m not sure that I do, yet I believe that God resides in everything. It is our job to learn to recognize that reality and appreciate that truth. Appreciation is not about religion or any form of worship, it is simply about recognition and what you hold in your heart every moment. If you can appreciate God in all that you see, you will be incapable of harming your fellow man, your fellow beast, or your planet. If you can stand on this ground and look out at all that is around you and see God in it, you will see with clarity what is right and what is opposed to that which is right.

Here is a Baul song which provides a beautiful example of what it means to see God in everything. The Bauls are the roaming minstrels of India, they do not practice their belief in temples, they practice it on the street, in song.

My soul cries out,
Caught in the snare of beauty,
Of the formless one.

As I cry by myself,
Night and day,
Beauty amassed before my eyes,
Surpasses moons and suns.

If I look at the clouds in the sky,
I see his beauty afloat.
And I see him walk on the stars,
Blazing within my heart.

Conversation

“If you are in a conversation with yourself you can be in conversation with the world.” —Suleika Jaouad

Always be asking yourself questions. Always be seeking new answers from within. If you can do this honestly and with intent, you will form the capacity to listen and ask questions of those around you. You will have the ability to listen and ask questions in a way that brings you closer to others and at the same time closer to yourself.

Zohran Mamdani

I just listened to the most amazing inauguration speech I think I have ever heard. Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered an eloquent and inspirational address to the people of New York. He seemed to be speaking unprompted off the top of his head, but it was beautifully composed and delivered. Only 34 years old, he exhibits the wisdom of a much older man. The brilliant part of his speech was the leadership he promised he would deliver. I can’t wait to see what he can do for the people of New York. He may just be the future of politics in America, a refreshing departure from the cynicism we have been enduring of late.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 82

Welcome to 2026

Everything does not happen as we would like. Stop trying to change what has happened, or wish something different had happened, simply say to yourself what happened was what was meant to be. You cannot change the past, all you can do is change how you look at it. Doing so will allow your life to flow much more smoothly.

Stoic Thought of the Day — Day 81

Be prepared for failure. Do everything you can to ensure success in your endeavors, But in the final analysis, success or failure can be in the hands of others, not yours. Have a plan if failure is your reward. That plan should be focused on how you can more closely focus on the goal with Gods guidance. Recognize that failure is often part of a higher power or plan that is sending you a message telling you that you didn’t have it all figured out.