• Lessons

    A Painful Chat with a Saudi Arabian

    Sometimes, life lessons are learned in the most unexpected way. Part of being human is making faux pas and gaining knowledge through mistakes. During my brunch with a new friend, I had done just that - made a painful mistake.

  • Mental Health

    A Lesson from Alcoholics Anonymous

    Attending an AA Meeting A while back, I joined a few Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings to gain a greater understanding of how people navigate successfully through hardships in life. I wanted to develop a greater compassion for people who struggle with some of the darkest demons of humanity. I wanted…

  • Countries - Religion - Ways of Life

    My Friend Okba from Tunisia

    My Different and Beautiful Friend Okba and I have been friends for a couple years now. He is a very devout Muslim from Tunisia who worries about the salvation of my soul. We have had many discussions related to Islam over the years and while I am not Muslim, he…

  • Countries - Religion

    My Friend Mamud from The Gambia

    The Short Story of Mamud My friend Mamud is one of the most humble, kind, courteous and devout people I have ever met.  We met about two years ago on Skout, the chat app, about the time Covid began.  He was one of the first people I had met there…