In this episode, I talk about how brutally hard it is to parent when you’re sick—and your kids are sick too. When your body is exhausted and your nervous system is overloaded, the thing you want most is solitude, quiet, and space to regulate. But parenting doesn’t pause.

I explore the tension between needing solitude to heal and still showing up for your kids, even when you feel emotionally and physically depleted. I also revisit something I keep coming back to: repair matters more than perfection. You don’t have to be a flawless parent—you just have to be a present, repairing one.

And because this episode drops on Valentine’s Day, I end with a reminder of love—not just romantic love, but the messy, tired, human love that exists in families every day.

Happy Valentine’s Day. 💙

What is play, really—and why does it seem to disappear as we get older?

In this episode, I explore where play comes from, why it feels so essential when we’re young, and what happens when adulthood slowly pushes it aside. We look at how play shapes curiosity, creativity, connection, and even identity—and why so many of us feel disconnected from it later in life.

But play isn’t automatically good. So we also ask the harder questions:
Is play always healthy? Is it truly natural? Can play become escapism, avoidance, or even destructive?

This is a reflective conversation about joy, seriousness, culture, and what we lose—and maybe can reclaim—when we stop playing.

What if your mind is its own universe?

In this episode, I explore the idea that we all carry vast inner worlds within us—inspired by The Life of Chuck, Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself, and the concept that we “contain multitudes.” This is a conversation about consciousness, identity, and the unseen inner landscapes that shape how we move through the world.

I reflect on watching my kids’ universes grow—how their awareness, imagination, and sense of self are forming—and what it teaches me about being human. I also dive into those powerful moments in life when it feels like something larger is guiding you, nudging you toward a specific path. What is that feeling? Intuition? Fate? Alignment? Or the voice of your inner universe finally speaking clearly?

This episode blends philosophy, poetry, parenting, and personal experience to explore meaning, direction, and the mystery of existence.

Perfect for listeners interested in:

• Philosophy of mind and consciousness

• Walt Whitman and poetic meaning

• Parenting reflections

• Intuition and life purpose

• Existential questions and mindfulness

A quiet, thoughtful exploration of what it means to live inside—and alongside—the universe within.