It’s interesting to notice that if we had no expectations for the future then we would never be disappointed. I wonder if enlightened people living purely in the present moment experience bliss in part because there is nothing for them to feel disappointment over. I also wonder if it even makes sense for that to be a goal. It seems rather inhuman to not place expectation and hope in the future. For example I think death of a loved one... Read more
There’s a reason Morgan Freeman often plays God or a prophet or a head of state. He has a very regal voice and a tremendous amount of presence. He was a natural choice for the new show coming on the National Geographic Channel: The Story of God. Because it is a six part series examining different faith traditions around the world, I was invited to a special screening of the first episode that also included a Q&A with Morgan Freeman... Read more
There’s been buzz going around lately about a music video put out by Coldplay featuring Beyonce that is set in India. Brown Girl Magazine asked people for their responses and here are their thoughts… Hymn For the Weekend: Cultural Appropriation or Not? Representation or Appropriation? This article at The Independent rounds up many responses, many of them positive or not seeing what the issue is. “These videos, along with Coldplay’s, continue a long, dubious tradition of depicting India as a... Read more
I happened to be watching the fun series “Everything Wrong With…” on Youtube and in the Return of the Jedi one there was a moment where he saw a “sin” that to me is just the basic Hindu philosophy that a lot of Star Wars is based on. (start at 13:32 for just this “sin”) How does Luke become dark side if he kills the bad guy? The commentator wonders. Why is giving in to his anger bad when he... Read more
Some well meaning people, such as Prime Minister Narenda Modi, have suggested that people with disabilities should be viewed as special. I understand the idea behind wanting people to view disability as a kind of divine gift instead of a curse, to claim that people with disabilities are special, elevated, have something to teach the rest of us about life. But that attitude is actually very patronizing and is too easily used to dismiss what people with disabilities actually need:... Read more
It has probably always been in human nature to find strategies to prevent bad things from happening to us. Our brains seem wired for superstition. It can quickly become wired to connect two unrelated things like winning a baseball game with wearing certain socks. Those things can’t be connected and yet the brain can form a connection as part of this instinct to shield us from anything bad. I think it’s easy to fall into that trap when thinking about... Read more
Sorry to have so many posts lately about just blog business! I decided that the World Table comment system is not a good fit for this blog, at least as it is currently. I know the team is working hard and they are only in alpha testing. I wanted to help but I’m finding that there’s still so much left to work on and in the mean time it is harming the community here as people have begun to struggle... Read more
Every year on the anniversary of her death I hope to introduce new people to my best friend Ilana. She was a bright light in the world, full of joy and life and passion. We lost her very suddenly. One day she was here on earth and the next she was gone, leaving an incredible void in many lives. It’s still hard to believe that she’s really gone, that I will never hear her laugh again. I called her and... Read more
A friend of mine was complaining recently that people go out of their way to avoid saying her name and it causes unnecessary confusion. She made a great educational video on how to say her name. I was surprised at first hearing that she had this problem because to me Indian names are mostly pretty straightforward. But I realized that, of course, I have a great deal of familiarity with them. That was not always the case and so I... Read more
Yesterday we went for our very first ultrasound and got to see our baby! An absolutely amazing experience that is impossible to describe. It has made the whole thing feel more real and helped me to look forward to our future and get excited. I am happy to no longer need to call the baby “It” as we now know…it’s a boy! Meet Garrick Ravi Choate! People were right when they reassured me that pregnancy would get easier. The first... Read more
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