Hi friend, I read a story this morning that hit a little deeper than expected. It's about a young man in Sichuan Province named Li Wei, known for his work ethic but lacking in patience and compassion. In a dream, he stood on one side of a wide chasm. On the other side were people in pain. Children, the elderly, the sick. And there was no bridge. The old man from his village appeared and told him, “You already have all the tools you need.” The tools were compassion and understanding....
2 days ago • 1 min read
Hello friend, This morning at breakfast, I paused to take in the rhythm of this new routine. The cadence of recording, posting, and sharing these daily updates still feels clunky on the road, but like everything worthwhile, it's slowly finding its rhythm. Yesterday, I had a great session with Colin Wong, probably Malaysia’s top pickleball talent and an incredibly nice guy. We hit some balls, talked about his journey through the University of Delaware, and his experiences navigating the...
3 days ago • 1 min read
The Bird in My ChestJuly 16, 2025 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Hey there, I got sprayed in the chest with toilet water this morning. Was emptying my bag facing the toilet. Thought I was flushing. Turned on the bidet instead. Just standing there, super soaker to the chest. Direct hit. Had to laugh, but also not even close to the worst thing I’ve dealt with in a bathroom this year. Malaysia’s been surprisingly smooth. Airport was quiet. Walked right through immigration. No questions, no chaos, just...
4 days ago • 1 min read
Hey there, Last day in Manila. I played padel early this morning with the crew, then grabbed breakfast after. It’s the most social I’ve been in a long time. I’m not always great at that. I usually default to staying in, keeping to myself. But this week has reminded me how much better I feel when I’m around good people and out in the world. This morning's reading from The Zen Monkey and the Lotus Flower... There’s a tree that envies the freedom of the clouds. The clouds envy the strength and...
6 days ago • 1 min read
Hey there, This morning’s read was about a golden carp named Kunchen who left his quiet pond to explore the river. The currents were rough. He got tossed around. But eventually, he stopped fighting and let the river carry him. He didn’t give up. He just stopped trying to control what couldn’t be controlled. I liked that. It felt familiar. We played at the country club yesterday. A guy asked if I’d ever played Ben Johns. Innocent, just making conversation. I was polite, of course. But yeah,...
8 days ago • 1 min read
Hey there, This morning's read was about a monk named Dorji who lived in a quiet Bhutanese village. When rumors of a man-eating tiger started spreading, the villagers panicked. They wanted the tiger gone. Understandably. They feared for their lives. Dorji, on the other hand, believed that every living creature deserved life and respect. Even a predator. So he offered to go find the tiger himself. No weapon. No plan to trap or kill it. Just a calm energy and a willingness to see if something...
9 days ago • 1 min read
The Echo Beneath the SurfacePasig City, Manila | July 10, 2025 Hey there, This morning's read was about a young man named Arjun who travels to a mountain temple in Nepal in search of truth. He sits with a monk named Rinpoche and asks questions about life, suffering, and the nature of reality. One night, they’re sitting by a lake. The moon is out. The water is still. Arjun asks, “What is the echo of the moonlight on the water?” Rinpoche tells him to look closely. Arjun says he sees the moon...
10 days ago • 2 min read
Hello there, In the middle of Manila traffic, digital noise, and a brain that rarely sits still, today's story was about a Tokyo businesswoman named Yumi. Always rushing. Always stressed. Always exhausted. Some relatability for sure. In the story, Yumi walks into a quiet temple. The monk tells her, “The silence you seek is not outside of you, but within you.” I’ve had the Calm app downloaded for months now. Told myself I’d start with one guided minute a day. Just 60 seconds. Haven’t done it...
11 days ago • 2 min read
Hey friend, In today’s story, a water buffalo named Fudo complains about the yoke on his back. It’s heavy. Restrictive. Makes him feel trapped. But when a monk explains that the yoke is what allows him to work, to help others, something clicks. The yoke isn’t the problem. Fudo’s resistance to it is. That landed hard this morning because it’s exactly how I’ve felt about my ostomy. And if I’m being honest, still feel sometimes. The bag can feel like a weight. Like something I didn’t ask for...
12 days ago • 2 min read