My Heartsongs

The breakthrough that is now about to explode is that roboticists have started using deep learning and neural networks to create “software” for mobile machines that enable them to learn from their environs, as they navigate and adjust their behaviors on the fly.

The guesstimate is that currently about 55 million people worldwide have dementia, by 2050 that number is expected to be 2 ½ times higher. This represents an enormous emotional and financial toll for society, and those directly caring for such individuals.

Although the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends adults sleep at least 7 hours a night, more than one-quarter of adults simply do not meet this recommendation. Getting refreshing sleep is good medicine, an essential aspect of wellness, that we ignore at our own peril.

A biotech company is progressing with testing of a canine life extension drug—the company’s name is LOYAL. From dog hotels to fancy pet urns, to cremation jewelry and glass art, perhaps we are going too far for our beloved companions. Have they become a substitute for human interactions for some lonely people?

It is undoubtedly true that any animal with whom we form an intimate relationship has much to teach us. There is a mystical sacred connection that evolves over time, somehow different than a surprise spotting of a special bird, or a brief encounter in the wild with a bear or herd of elk.

A recent survey of teens revealed that 72% of them felt they were happier and more peaceful to be phone-less, with 1/3 acknowledging they spend too much time on social media and their smartphones. A smaller percentage felt anxious, lonely and upset without their devices.

I acknowledge I remain a Prisoner of Time, with some moments when I manage to escape, only to fall again into her clutches, like a wild animal caught by falling suddenly into a carefully disguised pit trap.

Some amazing wonders of our current capabilities as humans to create initiatives for the common good: a pop-up hospital, brain computer interface implants, AI skin cancer detection, the largest solar energy project in the US, and deep sea explorations.

Resistance to doing what I say I want to do often manifests as negative mindtalk, self-defeating behaviors, avoidance and procrastination. I want to consistently choose “yes” to what nurtures, and drop the “shoulds.” I have learned that success begets success, and to be satisfied with starting small and sticking with it.

Perhaps as a species all the division we are experiencing is because of an actual epigenetic shift to not trust any of our institutions and instead blindly follow the advice of hive mind social media influencers. If genetic changes are akin to changing the lyrics of a song, epigenetic changes are like fiddling with the volume.

What to call it, that protective energy that somehow showed up for me in my life multiple times, at least twice a decade, shielding me from serious harm, guiding me to safety?

When I am feeling dispirited from the gnawing grievances of my own small self, I surrender to such revered unrest, knowing it is what stimulates me to keep digging and discovering hidden gifts to bring forth into the world.

Damage and decay of biological systems is the hallmark of aging, as our cell’s powerhouse mitochondria break down, various and diverse proteins unravel or clump together, and precious reserves of regenerative stem cells dwindle. I was quite struck by a statistic I heard years ago, that every day in this country 100 people turn 100!

The gentle sounds of swaying trees and crashing waves is what I awaken to most mornings, just before the soft sunlight fills the view behind us with beauty, only needing to open my eyes and slightly tilt my head to welcome it.

So what are we exactly? Is the body a collection of specialized cells, a fluid continuum composed mostly of water with permeable membranes on the biomolecular scaffolds of the system, an electromagnetic field, a quantum field? All of these at once?

The world needs us to each do our part. As we approach this new beginning, here’s to more love and kindness, including self-loving and caring, being doing whatever uplifts us. Be a fountain not a drain!

All the seasonal traditions ­– Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Solstice and Christmas – aim to be uplifting with the return of light and goodness. So why do we sometimes fall short?

In common usage, “hate speech” refers to offensive discourse that targets either a group or an individual based on inherent characteristics (such as race, religion or gender). How might we differentiate that from free speech, especially in terms of current events and the Israel Gaza war.?