Who does this?
This is Bill's blog about Zen, which is to say, everything. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and children, and two very Zen cats.
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Tag Archives: Parenting
Rebirth reconsidered
As if on schedule, my soon-to-be-seventeen-year-old daughter was having an existential crisis. “What’s the point of living?” she said. “We’re just going to die anyway. And we’re not going to remember any of it.” I was actually proud of her, … Continue reading
God is a loaded term
I’m a regular reader of CNN’s Belief Blog. More often than not, the blog’s contributors have refreshing takes on the role of faith in American life. They also don’t shy away from addressing the subject from the point of view … Continue reading
We are what we consume
WHEN MY daughter was very young, we were watching TV together. I don’t recall the program, but it wasn’t a cartoon, and at a certain point, one character hit another. It wasn’t slapstick; it was mild TV violence by my … Continue reading
Posted in Compassion, Parenting
Tagged culture, Death, guns, Mindfulness, Newtown, Parenting, Religion, violence
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A dancing lesson from God
This past weekend I traveled to Indianapolis with my son Patrick so he could compete in the 2011 Pokemon Nationals. How we came to do this is, to me, a wonderful example of simply being open to — and mindful … Continue reading
Kyron Horman
Love and knowledge, so far as they were possible, led upward toward the heavens. But always pity brought me back to earth. Echoes of cries of pain reverberate in my heart. Children in famine, victims tortured by oppressors, helpless old … Continue reading
Posted in Compassion, Film, Parenting, Quotes
Tagged Buddhism, Compassion, Film, Parenting, Quotes
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Every birthday is Mother’s Day
When I was younger, one of the weighty philosophical questions that would come up in late-night conversations was “Why am I here?” And at a certain point, my answer simply became “Because my parents had sex.” Some thought it was … Continue reading
Apple Blossoms
In our backyard, a small Buddha statue and a paving stone with the word “imagine” carved into it sit beneath a gnarly crab apple tree. Of the three, the tree is my favorite. It is the kind of tree Chuang … Continue reading
Gaining perspective
Last week my children had two experiences that helped broaden their outlook. One close to home, the other on the far side of the world. Two Sundays ago we had dinner with our friends Bob and Mary and their kids. … Continue reading
Breathing life into the printed word
I read to our kids every night when they were very young, and listened to them read aloud as they were learning their words. But as they became more accomplished in their reading, we all became more private readers. Sometimes … Continue reading
A mostly minimalist Christmas
My family knows that I have embraced minimalism. They witness the gradual uncluttering of my home office, the extra time spent in the basement, and the extra trash bags set out each week. But I avoid any sort of proselytizing. … Continue reading
