Take one story, viewed from two different angles. It is the same day, the same moment, but one angle ends happily... and the other ends badly.

I believe the biggest themes of life are put into the best focus when held up against the very sharp light of mortality.

We all have two things in common, no matter who we are: We were born and we are going to die.

Don't cling to things because everything is impermanent.

I was a workaholic. I never stopped. I lived in fifth gear. I bought cars. I invested in stocks. I made more money than I had ever imagined.

We are too involved in materialistic things, and they don't satisfy us. The loving relationships we have, the universe around us, we take these things for granted.

I used to be a classic workaholic, and after seeing how little work and career really mean when you reach the end of your life, I put a new emphasis on things I believe count more. These things include: family, friends, being part of a community, and appreciating the little joys of the average day.