Hey there, Bella and I picked up a win yesterday. She’s young, sharp, has a bright future. If she keeps working and stays focused on improving, she’s going to go far. I’ve enjoyed playing with younger players lately. Even though Sobek’s technically an OG and probably has more reps than me, he’s still young. It’s been good stepping into more of a mentor role. Feels like something I’m meant to do. Today I’ve got William in men's. Got in some games with him yesterday. He’s one of those guys you...
1 day ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, This morning’s story was about a monk named Pema who danced every day after work at the monastery. Rain or shine. Old monks frowned. Said it was a distraction from prayer. But Pema smiled and said, “My dance is my prayer… I connect with the universe and experience joy and peace.” It's a reminder that presence doesn’t always come through stillness or silence or a seated, cross-legged pose. It can be movement. It can be sweat. Sometimes it’s a clean forehand flick. Even though...
3 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, In this morning’s story from The Zen Monkey and the Lotus Flower, we meet a lotus sitting quietly on a still lake. Every day, she tries to push through the fog so someone might notice her bloom. She just wants to be seen. Admired. Validated. But the fog never lifts. Eventually, the mist speaks: “You do not bloom to be seen. You bloom because that is what a lotus does.” The stories in this book are short, one per day. But they pack a heavy punch. Because the truth is, I still...
3 days ago • 2 min read
Hey there, In this morning’s story (day 3 of The Zen Monkey and the Lotus Flower), Bodhi the monkey gives a simple reminder: beauty without function can become a burden. A gold-plated watering can is useless to a hare with no garden. Nice to look at, sure. But lug it around long enough and all that shine starts to feel heavy. The story resonates, but not because I’m hoarding any ornate garden tools, but because I’ve been doing my best to live with a new piece of anatomy that’s all function,...
5 days ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, In today’s story, an elephant named Ganesha loses his companions and ends up alone, wandering through the forests of Sri Lanka. After months of searching for his friends, he collapses beside a lake, exhausted. A turtle appears and tells him that connection isn’t something you always have to chase from others. Sometimes, it’s already there. Through breath, nature, stillness, and paying attention to everything alive within and around you. It reminded me of what Rick Hanson calls...
5 days ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, We’re putting Resilient on ice and starting something new: The Zen Monkey and the Lotus Flower. It’s a collection of 52 short stories. Probably meant to be read once a week, but we’ll be doing one each day. That should carry us through the next couple months of this daily reflection. The first story is about a young monk named Tenzin. He tells his teacher he can’t stay present. His thoughts keep drifting. The master walks him to a stream and asks, “Where is the water?” Tenzin...
6 days ago • 1 min read
In today’s chapter from Rick Hanson’s book Resilient, he breaks down two kinds of pain: first darts and second darts. First darts are the inevitable stuff, life’s little gut punches. Something hard happens. It stings. You can’t control it. Second darts are what we throw afterward. The rumination. The self-blame. The spiral. I had my own first dart a few days ago. A bathroom incident. Not going to get into the details, but it knocked me off center. The second dart was worse. My brain replaying...
8 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, I started the “Confidence” chapter of Resilient this morning. Most of it ties back to how your childhood shapes you, how feeling safe and loved early on builds secure attachment and confidence. If you didn’t have that, it takes intentional work as an adult. Brains can change, but it’s never easy. One thing the author mentioned that stuck with me was how having his own child allowed him to heal and give his kid what he didn’t get. That felt meaningful. But for me, I mostly think...
9 days ago • 1 min read
Hey there, I’ve got a hitting lesson at 9, a couple calls this afternoon, and the usual low-level packing stress. Monday I leave for Newport, then head west through the Philippines, Malaysia, India, England, and finally back to Florida for the United Ostomy Conference. It’s a long stretch. I’ll need to bring a full setup of supplies. Not just a few extras. A real inventory. Adhesive, wafers, backup bags, support wear, scissors, wipes, stoma powder, belts. It’s a second suitcase at this point....
10 days ago • 1 min read