Mental toughness and a determination to keep grinding it out according to a sound though flexible game plan while adhering to fundamentals can make a big difference. It is true in sports and it is true in life. Take for example the “Rain Game” between the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers at Soldier Field in Chicago last Sunday. The conditions were horrible. Both teams had a very difficult time with moving the ball at various points in the contest.... Read more

Today I look back on the legacy of Queen Elizabeth, rescue workers who gave their lives on 9/11, and my late dad. A word that marks each one of them is “duty.” A royal confidant wrote the following reflections in honor of Queen Elizabeth who passed away on September 8th: Because I have met her — because, at close quarters, I have observed her as she carried out a range of her official duties — people often ask me, leaning... Read more

I was watching The Fellowship of the Ring the other night, unwinding and resting after my day’s labor. I have read the book and watched the movie once or twice. But an exchange between Frodo and Gandalf spoke to me like never before. Here’s the exchange in the book focusing on the conflict over the ring and the forces of evil: “I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so... Read more

A geological era progresses ever so slowly, but can lead to dramatic and monumental change. Perhaps an analogy holds for patients who have endured traumatic brain injuries. My wife made the comparison this past week in reflecting on our son, Christopher’s TBI. Just as a geological era progresses in a miniscule manner, so, too, Christopher will not experience dramatic healing overnight or in short order, barring a miracle. Of course, it is important to highlight at the outset of this post... Read more

Humans comb life for meaning and purpose. The situation involving my son Christopher’s traumatic brain injury and the eighteen-month saga following the life-altering injury is no exception. Like my son, I often feel like my own state of consciousness comes and goes. Still, I continue to reemerge and comb each day for signs of hope and reasons to keep on living with purpose. We received word several days ago that Christopher was approved for twenty-four sessions of occupational therapy and... Read more

I read of how “megafloods” could devastate California. Such apocalyptic reports are enough to submerge you in a state of panic. A woman who got trapped on a flooded road in Santa Barbara County recently admitted that her first reaction was to panic. But then she called her father and got help. Firefighters and lifeguards came to her rescue. It was something to watch how they surrounded the woman and inched their way through the current to safety. You can... Read more

I told a friend yesterday that Mariko and I celebrate our 32nd wedding anniversary today. We’re somewhere between silver and golden celebrations with flecks of gray to prove it. I looked back last year to see what I wrote about our journey with our son Christopher and his TBI on our anniversary. To my surprise, I mentioned that I was sick in bed due to exhaustion from tending to Christopher daily since his life-altering injury in January 2021. This year,... Read more

“Homeostasis” is a cool word, even on a hot day when it reaches 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Just saying “homeostasis” a few times in my head made me cool down yesterday, when I wrote this piece. It’s kind of like “Serenity Now” in Seinfeld (please check out the clip). So, what does homeostasis mean? Here’s how an article in Scientific American defines the term: “Homeostasis, from the Greek words for ‘same’ and ‘steady,’ refers to any process that living things use... Read more

There’s a saying that goes something like “You can always find what you’re looking for.” There’s truth in that saying, even if “always” isn’t always true. In other words, there may be times that you cannot find what you go seeking for. For example, I often go searching in the fridge for peanut butter, pickles, or humus, but can’t find it, even though it’s staring me right in the face. My wife Mariko must get involved and hand it to... Read more