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Are We There Yet?

Are We There Yet?

"Since the pandemic started, I've wanted to stay connected with our community. Through the form of a weekly blog, I share my insights and reflections on various topics."

Bob Len, Managing Director


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Are We There Yet? Week 21 Thumbnail

Are We There Yet? Week 21

Last week, I wrote about suffering and the illness that my puppy had. The puppy, Hope, is fine and I received a lot of emails expressing hopes that she was okay. I also received a number of other comments about how to help mitigate those feelings and a number of the comments touched on having gratitude. Gratitude means the state of being grateful. Even in the midst of suffering, having and expressing gratitude has a powerful impact on our wellbeing. For me, if I focus on gratitude, I can find a large list of people, communities, and even lucky circumstances that have played an important role in who I am and what I have.

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Are We There Yet? Week 20 Thumbnail

Are We There Yet? Week 20

Almost everyone I talk to these days when referencing their personal level of suffering during the pandemic will preface their comments by stating that they know that others are suffering a lot more than they are. There is almost a level of guilt about our personal suffering as compared to what others are enduring. I find it curious that we don’t this same comparative thinking for other emotions, such as our own happiness.

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Are We There Yet? Week 19 Thumbnail

Are We There Yet? Week 19

Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and at an early age began to practice in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. In his book, Embracing Each Moment, he writes that “the truth is that the only way we can find freedom, the only way we can find true happiness, unconditional happiness, and unconditional joy is actually from becoming aware of and learning to love the basic truth of reality, which is the lack of security and certainty.” Simply put, embrace change because the fact is that change is the only certainty that there is.

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Are We There Yet? Week 18 Thumbnail

Are We There Yet? Week 18

This week, my family and I are at the beach. Like many of you, we have been in our home since March and had to cancel summer plans but feel lucky to have found a rental within driving distance. I had not fully appreciated how much the change of scenery would provide a brief reset and I feel fortunate that we were able to get away. I know that many, for a multitude of reasons, can’t leave their homes. While at the beach, I was reading an article called “A Return to Normal: How Long Will the Pandemic Last” in the Wharton school’s online business analysis journal.

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Are We There Yet? Week 17 Thumbnail

Are We There Yet? Week 17

One of my favorite quotes of Maya Angelou is “if you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” I think that this quote resonates for me quite a bit these days as I deal with an almost completely virtual existence like many of you.

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Are We There Yet? Week 16 Thumbnail

Are We There Yet? Week 16

Later this week, we will celebrate our nation’s independence. July 4th brings me memories of gatherings with family and friends, barbecues, parades, and fireworks. This year will be very different for most of us. I started to think about what independence means more broadly and it got me thinking about a speech made by Jim Valvano at the ESPN Espy awards less than two months before he died in 1993. For those of you who don’t know about Coach V, he was the coach of the overachieving NC State Wolfpack that won the NCAA basketball championship in 1983.

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