How to Live a Fulfilled Life

In my twenties, I wondered if I was adopted. The physical characteristics left no doubt that I was my parent’s son, but I never felt like they understood me. I didn’t feel connected like I thought I should.

The struggles we had dealing with my Mom’s ten-year decline in health until she passed away in June made things worse. To cope, I created two separate worlds, my born-into family back home and the one with my wife and daughters.

During these years, I spoke with my Dad almost every day. He shared what was happening back home and his thoughts about the Yankees, and I shared my two cents about what needed to happen back home. Although we spoke, we didn’t fully connect, and trips back to Rochester were NASCAR quick – long enough to get “credit” and short enough to avoid drama.

This week, my Dad came down for Thanksgiving. It was the first time we celebrated together in twelve years, and it was the first time in eight since he had been to the home and life we built in New Jersey.

And it felt like we truly connected in I have no idea how long.

We’ve become comfortable connecting through pixels during our Great Kerfuffle, and companies like Meta, as JoAnna Novaks shared in the New York Times this week, will transform how we connect through virtual reality. Let’s give an Amen for Zoom, VR, and social, but let’s not lose our connection with our spirituality, purpose, friends, family, or self as we travel this journey together.

This week’s video is about my Dad’s visit and the importance of connection.

And speaking of connection, don’t forget to connect with Pause Breathe Reflect. You can use the code: BREATHE to get 30% off of “the gear that is more than gear. It’s a reminder to connect to your breath.” It’s a reminder that the best way to connect is to slow down and hear, see, and love each other, and our sale runs through Cyber Monday.