A Peace of Picasso

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guernica

My first glimpse into the horrors of war did not come until after college. On a surf trip to the Basque Country of Spain, I asked a local friend what I should do since the waves were flat. He said I should go visit Guernica.

“Why would I go there?” I asked.

“It’s the city depicted in Picasso’s painting,” he said raising both his hands high in the air.

I had no idea what he was talking about. I never took art history at UC Santa Barbara. To tell the truth, all I really cared about as an undergrad was getting “some tasty waves and a cool buzz.” Continue reading →

Daily Dose of Vitamin S

Recently, a number of my family members and close friends have been diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency, which is surprising since we live in sunny California. It seems we have  an epidemic with lack of vitamin D. The easy cure is just to go out in the sun.

"I'm allergic to the Sun"

“I’m allergic to the Sun”

Yet being in the sun is counter to modern codes of behavior. Just bask in the glow of that last statement for a few minutes. Continue reading →

To Mothers: The Original Peacemakers

I watched my wife give birth to both our sons. For birth alone, mothers should be honored throughout their lives.

What do you mean Mommy is not coming home for dinner?

You’ll do for now, Daddy, but we want Mommy.

I know a lot of my readers are mothers and grandmothers. I bow down to you and hope you enjoy this holiday in your honor. I know that many of you work, raise children, and blog which is like having three full-time jobs at once. You are my heroes and you inspire me to make the world a better place. Continue reading →

Slow Down For Peace

fatboyke (Luc) / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to be compassionate while you are in a rush?

When I am in a hurry, I get this feeling like I am leaning forward and I need to keep moving not matter what. When something inhibits my progress I get tense, frustrated, and, sometimes, angry.

My sons seem to slow down on purpose when they sense that I am in a rush. Like many of you experienced parents have told me over and over, our children are here not just to learn from us, but also to teach us.

After numerous episodes of screaming, time-outs, and dragging, I’ve finally learned to slow down. Does it really matter if my son is late to kindergarten? Will it adversely affect my 3 year old’s brain development if he misses one “Circle Time” at his preschool? Continue reading →

Everyday Thanksgiving: April

When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love.”~Marcus Aurelius

To start this month’s post on gratitude, I want to thank everyone who clicks on this blog. Your presence, your comments, your {{{hugs}}}, and your support give me hope everyday that we can and will make a difference. I feel so blessed that I have found a community devoted towards peace, love, understanding, and compassion. Thank you for everything you do.

This is my monthly post of things I am grateful for. Feel free to post what you are grateful for in the comments. The more gratitude we give, the more love and peace we will experience. Continue reading →

Are Men “Naturally” Bad Caregivers?

I’m a horrible father.

The thought kept ping-ponging in my mind after shoving my bawling 5 year old son into his kindergarten class.

This morning he decided that he wanted to ride his scooter to school rather than his bike. I told him that the bike was quicker, but he started whining, so I let him take the scooter. 18 minutes into trek, he starts whining again, “Daddy, I’m tired. I want to stop.”

We are 10 minutes away from the school which starts in 8 minutes.

scooter

Happier times before scooters became an instrument of torture.

Continue reading →

Honest Kids

Have you ever been called out by your kid when you lied?

“Sorry, we couldn’t make your daughter’s dance recital, but my son had a soccer game.”

“No I didn’t, Daddy. You said that you didn’t want to watch bad dancing and hang around with crazy dance moms.”

“Thanks, son.” Continue reading →