“Sorry, but I don’t agree with you . . .” This is usually followed by awkward silence and angry tears. I’ve always found it difficult to disagree with someone, because I don’t want to lose a friend. I’ve found it even harder to accept it when someone disagrees with me, because my ego is hurt. …
The other day I went to buy a toy Yoda for my son. But when we asked how much it was, we were told $130. How can a plastic toy be worth $130? In terms of intrinsic value – Yoda is only a blob of plastic worth a few cents. But Yoda is worth $130 because of extrinsic value – people …
If you’ve ever wondered what it means to be candid, talk to my mother. If she didn’t like something, she’d say so without mincing her words. If she felt we were making the wrong decision, she’d harp on how the cons outweighed the pros. If she was facing any problems, she’d tell us exactly what …
Without my dear college friends and sisters, my wedding would not have been possible. A photo of my bridesmaids shows them in their pretty dresses and bearing bright smiles, but these belie the many hours and days of frantic efforts to put a wedding together in spite of a famously indecisive bride. The photo also …
One of my earliest memories as a child was waiting for a doctor’s appointment with my mother. We were seated side by side in a nondescript waiting room, and seated diagonally across from us was a little girl with her mother. When I looked up, I caught her staring at me as she cupped her …
My friend just bought his wife a car as a present. He gave her a Honda. Now let’s say we have to guess what’s her car. Is it a Volkswagen? Toyota? Ford? Porsche? Audi? Mazda? Hyundai? Here’s the thing. If it’s left up to us to guess, we have 100s of options. It could be any type …
I once knew a Christian sister who was in a rush to drive to a destination. Her car broke down. She knew nothing about how to fix her car. However, she remembered the miraculous experience of praying for others, so she laid her hands on the car and prayed for it. God did not answer …
Growing up in church has its cons—everyone knows you, and everyone is watching your every action and ready to report you to your parents who serve as deacons, elders, or Sunday school teachers. So if there were just one good thing about growing up in church, it would be the gift of lifelong friendships. There could not …
In chess, white always moves first. That’s just how it is. This is the a priori starting point of chess. In an alternative reality, maybe black gets to move first. But in our reality, it’s white that moves first. It’s the same with us trying to understand God. If we get to move first, in some alternative reality, then …
Anna* and I have been close friends since I was 10. If you knew us, you’d probably wonder why we’re friends. At times, I do, too. Sure, we share fond childhood memories, but we’re no longer the little girls we used to be. We don’t have common interests, nor do we move in the same …
