My adjustment to our world was painful because of my left-brain—right-brain switch; I have evolved into a very inward person.

My self-development, which I have taken responsibility for, has evolved from reading, observing, and thinking.

I’m especially aware of how extraordinary life is, as we have evolved on the only known planet that can sustain it. We are here for a short time, and the quality of that time is mainly in our hands. And that there are others in this world who would like a piece of my life for their gain.

There are times when I lie in bed and think, “What would I do if I knew I only had a short time to live?”

There are other times I take a more retrospective approach.

One of my favorite exercises is to sit on our front porch and imagine a fifteen-teen-year-old person sitting in the rocker next to me—and it’s me. There isn’t much conversation as the emotions I experience evolve so fast and deeply that words can only simplify the experience.

Other times, I will sit under a tree in our yard and imagine a five-year-old boy walking around. He will come over and sit beside me—and it will be me.

These experiences have become so much of my understanding of who I am and want to be.