What I learned this year
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
- Mahatma Gandhi
Each yearly orbit brings new experiences. What we make of them is what matters. Here are lessons from 2022, some learned the hard way.
The ground is hard; stay upright.
There is never enough love; give more.
Time is always short; do less and make more.
Life isn’t fair but Karma is real.
Individual actions matter; together they manifest into movements.
Creating change is not a passive act; you must engage vigorously.
You cannot stand for what’s right when you bend over backwards.
Promises are commodities; commitments hold value.
Loneliness is devastating; connection is vital.
Intelligence does not generate wisdom. It is not even a prerequisite.
Hate is filling, but not nourishing.*
Starting is easy; finishing is
Laughed with a wince at 1. Agreed with 2. As well as 3. And 4, and... The lesson I got was, think about the lessons and act on them. Well done.
Al, thank you for this rich, powerful, thoughtful, and timely newsletter. I will listen to Pema Chodren again. Self inquiry, as a movement, could change our world. Thank You!