I created this art project, which included a booklet of all of the Challenge stories received through August 2nd, 2024, and brought it to Burning Man. I placed the project in the Temple of Together, where anyone who entered the temple would have a chance to see all of the stories. Thank you so much to all who participated! Let's keep it going and continue to spread kindness and joy.

I was at a beautiful party at my summer community Saturday night. It was a birthday party celebrating the 100th year of my friend’s summer cottage. Everyone gathered in Mindy’s yard and we toasted the shared history of our special community and the ties that bind us together. Later in the evening, as I went over to chat with the hostess and offer to help with clean up, she asked me if I would give a ride to one of the guests. The guest was an elderly woman whose children had already left the party. She kept insisting that she could walk to find her daughters but Mindy was concerned that Vikka would not find her way as she seemed rather confused. Mindy asked if I would please stop at one location and if one of her daughters was not there, take her to a second location. I don’t know Vikka. I’ve known of her but we’ve never met. Because of that I did feel a bit awkward. But it was clear to me that Vikka should not be left to walk around the subdivision, possibly become confused and lose her way. And it was also clear that Mindy was in no position to leave her guests to take Vikka. So I ran home to get my car, helped seat Vikka in my car, and off we drove. Soon after, I found one of her daughters and dropped Vikka off. Both Vikka and her daughter were so grateful - thanking me repeatedly. Vikka hugged me in gratitude. I felt … undeserving of such gratitude. I did a small thing. But as I type this and think about it, I made a difference for someone and that felt good.

Was just walking my dog and it started pouring. I was going to wait under a tree and then remembered Jenn and decided to dance and sing my way home. Jenn continues to make the world a better place to live. Sending very wet but happy hugs!!

I jumped into this challenge last minute with just a few days to spare. The first two days? Total flops. Day one, I invited my neighbor (whose wife was out of town) to watch the Olympics or take a dip in our pool. I’ve never had him over without his wife. He said no. Day two, I aimed to visit a fancy patisserie to surprise my hairstylist with something special, but guess what? It was closed. The best part about those failures? It made me keep "Thinking Better." I started brainstorming ways to spread kindness to folks I usually wouldn't. I had to be on the lookout for "be nice" moments. Day three, I sent a birthday gift basket to a friend and was nudged to donate to a new charity. Nailed it, right? Wrong. I accidentally set up a monthly donation instead of a one-time gift. Cue the Muzak while fixing that mistake. Turns out, I'm a bit of a klutzy do-gooder. Day four, I found out my gift basket recipient was heading out of town. This led to a frustrating chat with a bot and then finally talking to a human to reschedule the delivery. Being nice is hard work! Finally, I kept it simple. I texted a family member I usually struggle to talk to, just to check in. A first for me! Thanks, Jenn. Your spirit guides me to be better every day.

This is a wonderful way to remember Jenn and the way she cared about those she loved. Jenn’s love of life, thoughtfulness and concern for others will always keep her in our hearts. We love you, Jenn! Michelle and I have been checking in with Pat, our neighbor of 35 years, who recently lost her husband Ron after an extended illness. We recently took her to lunch and we stop over to spend time with her. She has always been an outgoing and kind person to us and we wanted her to know that we care about her. Thinking about Jenn gives us pause to remember that we all live in a village and that we need to consider those who could use some support. A little kindness goes a long way in a difficult world.

Dearest Lisa, I would like to thank you again for this amazing initiative. Such a kind reminder that living a full life is not only about going after one’s goal in life but also (and equally important) having enough of the everyday little joys. These days in Tel Aviv this kind reminder is particularly meaningful as not only this is the hottest summer I can ever remember, we are at war and the bad news keep coming. So everyday joys are a little different but we still need to remember to have them …

The challenge is such a special way to continue remembering how Jenn made the world a more beautiful place. I chose to honor her memory through the 175 mile fundraising bike ride I did last weekend for my children’s camp. I had an electric bike and I could have ridden ahead of the slower riders but I chose to stay back at the end since I could ride at any speed and I wanted to make sure the last riders weren’t alone. I also thought of Jenn when I was experiencing the joy of walking with my granddaughter and not worrying about whether it rained or not. I will always think of Jenn and how much she was loved by her family (my dear friends) whenever I walk in the rain. I hope these stories bring comfort to those who love her.

I was the Plant Manager for a small composite can manufacturer in Orrville, Ohio. My Production Manager's wife was pregnant and expected to have triplets. (Yikes!) I sent my entire salaried staff to the local grocery store to get the names, addresses,and contact information for any infant product company. My staff thought I was nuts! I told them that lunch was on me, and to take as much time as they needed. I could answer the phones. My Administrative Assistant mail merged the contact information with a letter of request that she had drafted. A few weeks later, the UPS driver knocked on Jan' s door and told her that he had a delivery for her. Jan told him"OK, I'll take the delivery right here at the front door." "No, no" said the driver, "the whole truck is for you!" known and Bob filled up a one-time car garage. I also bought Bob a cooler and a case of beer. Note: I have a list of 122 infant product companies. Now, they probably send discount coupons. But, a savings of $20.00 times 122 still results in a savings of over $2,000.

First and foremost, I feel incredibly lucky to have my Auntie Lisa in my life. Auntie Lisa and my cousin, Jenn, have taught me so much about living life to the fullest. I am deeply grateful for the time I spent with Jenn, who was genuinely joyful and kind-hearted. One of my favorite activities during the hot Chicago summers is visiting the Montrose dog beach with my dog and my husband, Josh. Despite the occasional chaos of numerous dogs running around, playing frisbee and frolicking in the water brings me immense joy. Just last week, we made two trips to the dog beach with some friends and their dogs. The sun was shining, the water was warm, the dogs were playing, and I felt truly happy. These visits to the dog beach fill me with joy and gratitude for the simple moments in life—being with loved ones, both human and dog, and enjoying the beauty of nature.

I have known Lisa and family for 40+ years. They are our family. We loved sweet, generous, kind Jenn more than we can say. I'm happy to share my small but meaningful story. Recently we had work done at our home and one of the workers had shared that he's a diabetic while here and taking a break. On Friday I went to ask him a question regarding the work and found him down on the floor, awake, alert but lying flat. He said he was sorry, didn't want to be a problem, etc. but needed 5 minutes because his sugar was low and he just turned off his insulin pump, and ate something. Having been a nurse for almost 50 years, I immediately went into nurse mode. As he shared his story of difficulty controlling his sugars, how it affects his daily life, my heart went out to him. What could I do, how could I help the big picture? I remembered that one of my friends is a NP specializing in endocrinology and asked if he wouldn't mind if I called her. Long story short, they talked to one another for quite some time and she was extremely helpful with information, referrals and hope. This gentleman was grateful beyond words, thanking both of us profusely and sharing his reignited hope for his situation. A simple act of kindness done selflessly making such an impact on a stranger. Sometimes it's the smallest of acts of kindness. Sometimes it's just listening, opening one's heart to another and sharing. I hope he gets the help he needs medically and I'm grateful I could help.

I was one of Lisa’s Washington State University students where I came to appreciate the brilliance and simplicity behind TOC. Part of what I liked about her class was her ask for students to pick a project with meaning to them. Little did I know I would come to very much appreciate the emotion, intuition, and logic loop Lisa and Aureo frequently referred to. It helped me to find my dream job. Working with the airlines is also what brought me to her class. It is absolutely no surprise that just the proximity to our commercial aerospace system in action brings be immediately into the present with pure joy. I suppose people can sense my ease and positive energy as I often find people will walk up to me in the airport with an array of travel inquiries. I am happy to be able to help (or refer them to someone who knows better) them continue on their journey. Thank you, Jenn and Lisa.

We are in a unique time frame in politics and everyone has strong opinions and emotions. This challenge reminded me a couple things. To stay curious - Another aspect of kind in my opinion is to seek to understand. Politics can be heated - This challenge reminded me to be kind and understand the opinions of others vs trying to force mine on them. It led to some really interesting conversations around people's priorities and perspectives.

My feeling has always been that the things that give us the greatest joy are the things we do to help others. One of my current "joys" is mentoring I am doing with a young person (22-ish) that I met in the Orlando Airport during a long layover. This individual is facing all the stresses of a young adult hoping to make there way and struggling to find answers. They are in a family business where stresses are high and this person is expected to take over someday. Their parents are very jaded and operate in a way that gives this individual a lot of anxiety. They want to do things different but don't have a role model or anyone open to new ways of thinking. The mentoring I'm doing is what I get paid for, but this one is without charge. Meeting a bright, curious young person who just needs someone to believe in them, to help them see possibilities, is a blessing for me. I can see a growing confidence and a positive change in their well being that is so heartwarming. I've had great mentors who did the same for me and I see any opportunity like this as a chance to pay down a debt that will never be settled. Truthfully I get great joy from how this engagement helps us both grow.

In thinking about something that I've been doing lately that brings me joy, I have been spending a lot of time sitting on my front stoop and reading for enjoyment! That's not something that I can do most months of the year in Chicago along with the fact that I often do not read books for enjoyment as frequently during the school year.

I had not realized that it has been a very long time since I have danced in the rain! It felt amazing. Grateful.

Hi Lisa, this is a small "just be nice thing", but a good change for me. I signed up for the challenge and promptly jumped into the car to drive to the lake. On the way I noticed a car pulled over ahead and wondered if they needed help. As I drew closer, I saw a person a standing with a cell phone but the car behind me was too close to allow me to brake. As I passed my debate turned from “should I stop” to “I am sure they are fine”. Later in the drive I recalled Jenn’s challenge and realized my default posture is to be at full speed and stop if needed, instead of being prepared to stop. Which made actually stopping, a rearview window activity. I’ve now changed my default to slow down as soon as I notice and be checking to see if someone needs help, instead of passing with an intention to check! So far people have either just stopped for a cigarette or they were letting kids out to pee, but it feels good to ask - and I think to be asked.

As a family we batch cooked a series of small meals for one for our recently widowed Nan who is bravely going through radiation treatment for lung cancer. To make it something more relaxing we did it in a caravan on a site 2 hrs away through the lanes between rural South Scotland and rural North England. A caravan with very limited cooking equipment. Today we pretended to be Border Reivers smuggling contraband .. That's because some of our family have covid so we couldn't come and stay. Toby our youngest also picked some flowers 💐. Fynn our eldest also bought Nan some stamps so she can send some cards ( she 💜 card making) And now we are sitting outside like we did back in 2020 chatting whilst Toby is working hard on clearing Nans driveway of weeds. Family life.

What a wonderful challenge! Sounds simple but it’s not. I stood in line in a store today waiting for a long time and in front of me was an elderly couple. Just as the person in front of them finished his inquiry with the only salesman in the store, a young couple who just came in got in front of us and demanded the salesman attention. In any other day I would get mad but today, for Jen and for you Lisa, i decided to be nice. It changed the whole atmosphere in the store. The elderly couple got mad and demanded that I commit not to pass them as well. I told them that I wouldn’t dream of it. The young couple heard the conversation and I tild them it was because of their behavior that the topic came up. They apologized but didn’t move. Once again I decided to be nice. Got me thinking…:) there are pluses amd minuses ..,

I volunteer at the local small town food pantry in Pine AZ. So many people in need of help& love. Served 120 folks & it’s do wonderful to see the smile on their faces when you load a grocery cart of food into their vehicle or back pack who are homeless. That smile & appreciative thankyou! Someone told me it is a blessing that they will have food for about 2 weeks. The children’s eyes light up when the see boxes of cereal in the cart!!

Dear Lisa, Today I start as a volunteer co-leader at GriefShare program locally. This 13-week program helped me cope with the loss of my beloved husband. I feel challenged to help others to deal with these devastating losses. I believe my TOC skills (especially listening using the CLRs) and the tested GriefShare materials will allow me to help others.

Lisa emphasizes that thinking better is deeply connected to our humanness. What a beautiful message from a TOC icon! Logic, emotion, and intuition function inseparably. Neuroscience teaches us the importance of keeping our "logical machine" well-calibrated. Investing in our humanness impacts our performance just as much as rational development. So, what better way to end a challenging weekend than enjoying a smoked Old Fashioned and a good cigar with my loved one?

Dear Lisa, I have a new neighbor that is elderly,and just moved in across the street. I went over to introduce myself to him.He lives alone,so I have been stopping by to check up on him. I took him to our outdoor market. I also go over to his home to sit out on his porch when I have some extra time!

Maybe it is not enough as a “challenge”, but after enjoying this 4th of July not is better to me than have a typical American hot dog! In the queue I started to help a Cuban couple that always lost in translation with their order. Yes, too small but the couple was really grateful and we had a nice conversation.

I play duplicate bridge with my partner who is 96 and very hard of hearing, Although she isn't as mentally sharp as she used to be, she loves to play. One night she complained of not being able to breathe. We called the paramedics. They asked her which hospital she preferred. She told them that she was NOT going to the hospital! She is still playing a few months later. I put her in a wheel chair since she is so frail, and that she may move from table to table

My neighbor is old and frail. She loves to come to my home for parties and I have been hesitant, afraid of the responsibility. To honor Jenn's memory, I decided to invite her for July 4 gathering, in spite of misgivings. I know it will make her happy.

I used to plant extra zinnias in my garden so that my Administrative Assistants would have a fresh bouquet of flowers on their desk each week. It cost me next to nothing.

Dear Lisa, Thank you for sharing your family's story. I am an TOC consultant who knows your books but didn't know your story. I live in Brazil and I have a disabled son, Nicolas, who is 11 years old. He has a profound cognitive development limitation due to his epilepsy disease. My wife, Francis, and I feel the love he has for us, even though we don't communicate with words. There is a word in our language, Portuguese, called "saudade". This word is not easy to translate into other languages. It's the equivalent of missing something we experienced, and we can't experience it again or we could have experienced it, but it didn't happen. For us, it is impossible not to feel "saudade" our son, even though he is with us. My wife and I won't see Nicolas do a lot of things that many parents would like to see. Your graduation, or your intellectual development, or our possible grandchildren. I would love for him to be able to read his books in my library! I would love to support him in his difficult times, but Nicolas has what Dr. Goldratt called an easy life. We take care of everything for him. I learned from TOC (and I owe a lot to her books) that all lives are worth living, from conception onwards. Even those lives that are interrupted prematurely, still in their formation, even those lives that have lived with us for an insufficient time, even those lives that are easy. We learn to live with "saudade" in a happy way, enjoying life, as our loved ones would like to enjoy. Living like this makes our lives (and theirs) more meaningful. We live life as a constant flow of love fueled by our assumptions, our way of seeing the world. In addition to TOC, we also incorporate the Stoic concepts of Memento Mori and Amor Fati. I just met Jenn and I already feel "saudade" about her. Joy for Nicolas' life, joy for Jenn's life! Hugs. Yuri, Francis and Nicolas. PS: I'm sorry for any miscommunication, I don't communicate very well in English.

I provide enough chocolate candies or gummy bears for my Dentist and her staff each time I visit. The last time I visited I provided different flavored yogurt with napkins and spoons. It takes so little to be kind.

I created this art project, which included a booklet of all of the Challenge stories received through August 2nd, 2024, and brought it to Burning Man. I placed the project in the Temple of Together, where anyone who entered the temple would have a chance to see all of the stories. Thank you so much to all who participated! Let's keep it going and continue to spread kindness and joy.

I was at a beautiful party at my summer community Saturday night. It was a birthday party celebrating the 100th year of my friend’s summer cottage. Everyone gathered in Mindy’s yard and we toasted the shared history of our special community and the ties that bind us together. Later in the evening, as I went over to chat with the hostess and offer to help with clean up, she asked me if I would give a ride to one of the guests. The guest was an elderly woman whose children had already left the party. She kept insisting that she could walk to find her daughters but Mindy was concerned that Vikka would not find her way as she seemed rather confused. Mindy asked if I would please stop at one location and if one of her daughters was not there, take her to a second location. I don’t know Vikka. I’ve known of her but we’ve never met. Because of that I did feel a bit awkward. But it was clear to me that Vikka should not be left to walk around the subdivision, possibly become confused and lose her way. And it was also clear that Mindy was in no position to leave her guests to take Vikka. So I ran home to get my car, helped seat Vikka in my car, and off we drove. Soon after, I found one of her daughters and dropped Vikka off. Both Vikka and her daughter were so grateful - thanking me repeatedly. Vikka hugged me in gratitude. I felt … undeserving of such gratitude. I did a small thing. But as I type this and think about it, I made a difference for someone and that felt good.

Was just walking my dog and it started pouring. I was going to wait under a tree and then remembered Jenn and decided to dance and sing my way home. Jenn continues to make the world a better place to live. Sending very wet but happy hugs!!

I jumped into this challenge last minute with just a few days to spare. The first two days? Total flops. Day one, I invited my neighbor (whose wife was out of town) to watch the Olympics or take a dip in our pool. I’ve never had him over without his wife. He said no. Day two, I aimed to visit a fancy patisserie to surprise my hairstylist with something special, but guess what? It was closed. The best part about those failures? It made me keep "Thinking Better." I started brainstorming ways to spread kindness to folks I usually wouldn't. I had to be on the lookout for "be nice" moments. Day three, I sent a birthday gift basket to a friend and was nudged to donate to a new charity. Nailed it, right? Wrong. I accidentally set up a monthly donation instead of a one-time gift. Cue the Muzak while fixing that mistake. Turns out, I'm a bit of a klutzy do-gooder. Day four, I found out my gift basket recipient was heading out of town. This led to a frustrating chat with a bot and then finally talking to a human to reschedule the delivery. Being nice is hard work! Finally, I kept it simple. I texted a family member I usually struggle to talk to, just to check in. A first for me! Thanks, Jenn. Your spirit guides me to be better every day.

This is a wonderful way to remember Jenn and the way she cared about those she loved. Jenn’s love of life, thoughtfulness and concern for others will always keep her in our hearts. We love you, Jenn! Michelle and I have been checking in with Pat, our neighbor of 35 years, who recently lost her husband Ron after an extended illness. We recently took her to lunch and we stop over to spend time with her. She has always been an outgoing and kind person to us and we wanted her to know that we care about her. Thinking about Jenn gives us pause to remember that we all live in a village and that we need to consider those who could use some support. A little kindness goes a long way in a difficult world.

Dearest Lisa, I would like to thank you again for this amazing initiative. Such a kind reminder that living a full life is not only about going after one’s goal in life but also (and equally important) having enough of the everyday little joys. These days in Tel Aviv this kind reminder is particularly meaningful as not only this is the hottest summer I can ever remember, we are at war and the bad news keep coming. So everyday joys are a little different but we still need to remember to have them …

The challenge is such a special way to continue remembering how Jenn made the world a more beautiful place. I chose to honor her memory through the 175 mile fundraising bike ride I did last weekend for my children’s camp. I had an electric bike and I could have ridden ahead of the slower riders but I chose to stay back at the end since I could ride at any speed and I wanted to make sure the last riders weren’t alone. I also thought of Jenn when I was experiencing the joy of walking with my granddaughter and not worrying about whether it rained or not. I will always think of Jenn and how much she was loved by her family (my dear friends) whenever I walk in the rain. I hope these stories bring comfort to those who love her.

I was the Plant Manager for a small composite can manufacturer in Orrville, Ohio. My Production Manager's wife was pregnant and expected to have triplets. (Yikes!) I sent my entire salaried staff to the local grocery store to get the names, addresses,and contact information for any infant product company. My staff thought I was nuts! I told them that lunch was on me, and to take as much time as they needed. I could answer the phones. My Administrative Assistant mail merged the contact information with a letter of request that she had drafted. A few weeks later, the UPS driver knocked on Jan' s door and told her that he had a delivery for her. Jan told him"OK, I'll take the delivery right here at the front door." "No, no" said the driver, "the whole truck is for you!" known and Bob filled up a one-time car garage. I also bought Bob a cooler and a case of beer. Note: I have a list of 122 infant product companies. Now, they probably send discount coupons. But, a savings of $20.00 times 122 still results in a savings of over $2,000.

First and foremost, I feel incredibly lucky to have my Auntie Lisa in my life. Auntie Lisa and my cousin, Jenn, have taught me so much about living life to the fullest. I am deeply grateful for the time I spent with Jenn, who was genuinely joyful and kind-hearted. One of my favorite activities during the hot Chicago summers is visiting the Montrose dog beach with my dog and my husband, Josh. Despite the occasional chaos of numerous dogs running around, playing frisbee and frolicking in the water brings me immense joy. Just last week, we made two trips to the dog beach with some friends and their dogs. The sun was shining, the water was warm, the dogs were playing, and I felt truly happy. These visits to the dog beach fill me with joy and gratitude for the simple moments in life—being with loved ones, both human and dog, and enjoying the beauty of nature.

I have known Lisa and family for 40+ years. They are our family. We loved sweet, generous, kind Jenn more than we can say. I'm happy to share my small but meaningful story. Recently we had work done at our home and one of the workers had shared that he's a diabetic while here and taking a break. On Friday I went to ask him a question regarding the work and found him down on the floor, awake, alert but lying flat. He said he was sorry, didn't want to be a problem, etc. but needed 5 minutes because his sugar was low and he just turned off his insulin pump, and ate something. Having been a nurse for almost 50 years, I immediately went into nurse mode. As he shared his story of difficulty controlling his sugars, how it affects his daily life, my heart went out to him. What could I do, how could I help the big picture? I remembered that one of my friends is a NP specializing in endocrinology and asked if he wouldn't mind if I called her. Long story short, they talked to one another for quite some time and she was extremely helpful with information, referrals and hope. This gentleman was grateful beyond words, thanking both of us profusely and sharing his reignited hope for his situation. A simple act of kindness done selflessly making such an impact on a stranger. Sometimes it's the smallest of acts of kindness. Sometimes it's just listening, opening one's heart to another and sharing. I hope he gets the help he needs medically and I'm grateful I could help.

I was one of Lisa’s Washington State University students where I came to appreciate the brilliance and simplicity behind TOC. Part of what I liked about her class was her ask for students to pick a project with meaning to them. Little did I know I would come to very much appreciate the emotion, intuition, and logic loop Lisa and Aureo frequently referred to. It helped me to find my dream job. Working with the airlines is also what brought me to her class. It is absolutely no surprise that just the proximity to our commercial aerospace system in action brings be immediately into the present with pure joy. I suppose people can sense my ease and positive energy as I often find people will walk up to me in the airport with an array of travel inquiries. I am happy to be able to help (or refer them to someone who knows better) them continue on their journey. Thank you, Jenn and Lisa.

We are in a unique time frame in politics and everyone has strong opinions and emotions. This challenge reminded me a couple things. To stay curious - Another aspect of kind in my opinion is to seek to understand. Politics can be heated - This challenge reminded me to be kind and understand the opinions of others vs trying to force mine on them. It led to some really interesting conversations around people's priorities and perspectives.

My feeling has always been that the things that give us the greatest joy are the things we do to help others. One of my current "joys" is mentoring I am doing with a young person (22-ish) that I met in the Orlando Airport during a long layover. This individual is facing all the stresses of a young adult hoping to make there way and struggling to find answers. They are in a family business where stresses are high and this person is expected to take over someday. Their parents are very jaded and operate in a way that gives this individual a lot of anxiety. They want to do things different but don't have a role model or anyone open to new ways of thinking. The mentoring I'm doing is what I get paid for, but this one is without charge. Meeting a bright, curious young person who just needs someone to believe in them, to help them see possibilities, is a blessing for me. I can see a growing confidence and a positive change in their well being that is so heartwarming. I've had great mentors who did the same for me and I see any opportunity like this as a chance to pay down a debt that will never be settled. Truthfully I get great joy from how this engagement helps us both grow.

In thinking about something that I've been doing lately that brings me joy, I have been spending a lot of time sitting on my front stoop and reading for enjoyment! That's not something that I can do most months of the year in Chicago along with the fact that I often do not read books for enjoyment as frequently during the school year.

I had not realized that it has been a very long time since I have danced in the rain! It felt amazing. Grateful.

Hi Lisa, this is a small "just be nice thing", but a good change for me. I signed up for the challenge and promptly jumped into the car to drive to the lake. On the way I noticed a car pulled over ahead and wondered if they needed help. As I drew closer, I saw a person a standing with a cell phone but the car behind me was too close to allow me to brake. As I passed my debate turned from “should I stop” to “I am sure they are fine”. Later in the drive I recalled Jenn’s challenge and realized my default posture is to be at full speed and stop if needed, instead of being prepared to stop. Which made actually stopping, a rearview window activity. I’ve now changed my default to slow down as soon as I notice and be checking to see if someone needs help, instead of passing with an intention to check! So far people have either just stopped for a cigarette or they were letting kids out to pee, but it feels good to ask - and I think to be asked.

As a family we batch cooked a series of small meals for one for our recently widowed Nan who is bravely going through radiation treatment for lung cancer. To make it something more relaxing we did it in a caravan on a site 2 hrs away through the lanes between rural South Scotland and rural North England. A caravan with very limited cooking equipment. Today we pretended to be Border Reivers smuggling contraband .. That's because some of our family have covid so we couldn't come and stay. Toby our youngest also picked some flowers 💐. Fynn our eldest also bought Nan some stamps so she can send some cards ( she 💜 card making) And now we are sitting outside like we did back in 2020 chatting whilst Toby is working hard on clearing Nans driveway of weeds. Family life.

What a wonderful challenge! Sounds simple but it’s not. I stood in line in a store today waiting for a long time and in front of me was an elderly couple. Just as the person in front of them finished his inquiry with the only salesman in the store, a young couple who just came in got in front of us and demanded the salesman attention. In any other day I would get mad but today, for Jen and for you Lisa, i decided to be nice. It changed the whole atmosphere in the store. The elderly couple got mad and demanded that I commit not to pass them as well. I told them that I wouldn’t dream of it. The young couple heard the conversation and I tild them it was because of their behavior that the topic came up. They apologized but didn’t move. Once again I decided to be nice. Got me thinking…:) there are pluses amd minuses ..,

I volunteer at the local small town food pantry in Pine AZ. So many people in need of help& love. Served 120 folks & it’s do wonderful to see the smile on their faces when you load a grocery cart of food into their vehicle or back pack who are homeless. That smile & appreciative thankyou! Someone told me it is a blessing that they will have food for about 2 weeks. The children’s eyes light up when the see boxes of cereal in the cart!!

Dear Lisa, Today I start as a volunteer co-leader at GriefShare program locally. This 13-week program helped me cope with the loss of my beloved husband. I feel challenged to help others to deal with these devastating losses. I believe my TOC skills (especially listening using the CLRs) and the tested GriefShare materials will allow me to help others.

Lisa emphasizes that thinking better is deeply connected to our humanness. What a beautiful message from a TOC icon! Logic, emotion, and intuition function inseparably. Neuroscience teaches us the importance of keeping our "logical machine" well-calibrated. Investing in our humanness impacts our performance just as much as rational development. So, what better way to end a challenging weekend than enjoying a smoked Old Fashioned and a good cigar with my loved one?

Dear Lisa, I have a new neighbor that is elderly,and just moved in across the street. I went over to introduce myself to him.He lives alone,so I have been stopping by to check up on him. I took him to our outdoor market. I also go over to his home to sit out on his porch when I have some extra time!

Maybe it is not enough as a “challenge”, but after enjoying this 4th of July not is better to me than have a typical American hot dog! In the queue I started to help a Cuban couple that always lost in translation with their order. Yes, too small but the couple was really grateful and we had a nice conversation.

I play duplicate bridge with my partner who is 96 and very hard of hearing, Although she isn't as mentally sharp as she used to be, she loves to play. One night she complained of not being able to breathe. We called the paramedics. They asked her which hospital she preferred. She told them that she was NOT going to the hospital! She is still playing a few months later. I put her in a wheel chair since she is so frail, and that she may move from table to table

My neighbor is old and frail. She loves to come to my home for parties and I have been hesitant, afraid of the responsibility. To honor Jenn's memory, I decided to invite her for July 4 gathering, in spite of misgivings. I know it will make her happy.

I used to plant extra zinnias in my garden so that my Administrative Assistants would have a fresh bouquet of flowers on their desk each week. It cost me next to nothing.

Dear Lisa, Thank you for sharing your family's story. I am an TOC consultant who knows your books but didn't know your story. I live in Brazil and I have a disabled son, Nicolas, who is 11 years old. He has a profound cognitive development limitation due to his epilepsy disease. My wife, Francis, and I feel the love he has for us, even though we don't communicate with words. There is a word in our language, Portuguese, called "saudade". This word is not easy to translate into other languages. It's the equivalent of missing something we experienced, and we can't experience it again or we could have experienced it, but it didn't happen. For us, it is impossible not to feel "saudade" our son, even though he is with us. My wife and I won't see Nicolas do a lot of things that many parents would like to see. Your graduation, or your intellectual development, or our possible grandchildren. I would love for him to be able to read his books in my library! I would love to support him in his difficult times, but Nicolas has what Dr. Goldratt called an easy life. We take care of everything for him. I learned from TOC (and I owe a lot to her books) that all lives are worth living, from conception onwards. Even those lives that are interrupted prematurely, still in their formation, even those lives that have lived with us for an insufficient time, even those lives that are easy. We learn to live with "saudade" in a happy way, enjoying life, as our loved ones would like to enjoy. Living like this makes our lives (and theirs) more meaningful. We live life as a constant flow of love fueled by our assumptions, our way of seeing the world. In addition to TOC, we also incorporate the Stoic concepts of Memento Mori and Amor Fati. I just met Jenn and I already feel "saudade" about her. Joy for Nicolas' life, joy for Jenn's life! Hugs. Yuri, Francis and Nicolas. PS: I'm sorry for any miscommunication, I don't communicate very well in English.

I provide enough chocolate candies or gummy bears for my Dentist and her staff each time I visit. The last time I visited I provided different flavored yogurt with napkins and spoons. It takes so little to be kind.