An Invitation to Explore

Welcome to Random Conversations, a heart-to-heart exploration and celebration of how we interact with ourselves, each other, and the world around us.

I fully believe that we have the power to bring positive change into the world, one interaction at a time. If what you read resonates with you, please consider becoming a member of this community by subscribing.

My writing is strongly tied to my beliefs and my sources of joy, so a bit about each:

My Beliefs

There will always be abhorrent behavior and sadness in the world but, in general, here’s a short list of what I believe to be true:

• Life skews to the positive – it often does so in its own time, not ours.

• People are inherently good.

• Labels do not define who we are.

• Joyous beauty and inspiration surround us, waiting to be embraced – and shared.

• Life is nuanced. It is both powerful and illuminating to hold a space that includes multiple points of view.

My Sources of Joy

Joy is one of my favorite emotions and I am always on the lookout for its enablers. To quote a very old song, here are a few of my favorite things:

• Delicious food – so much to taste and savor, so little time.

• Theatre – Broadway, off-Broadway (see NYC, below).

• New York City is home and I love walking this ever-changing city and exploring all that it offers.

• The beauty that surrounds me – from the snowdrops that announce the start of spring to the magnolias in full bloom over Gandhi’s statue at Union Square that signal its end, through the abundance of summer flowers to the spectacular colors of autumn. And the magnificent Hudson River.

• Sharing all the above with friends and anyone else whose attention I have.

• Dogs – I’m a besotted buddy to several dogs living in my building who stop to say hello, and cannot pass by a dog park without stopping to watch them play (see photo, below).

My Writing and My Life

How I think and approach living my life can best answered through my writing.  Below are links to two short posts that offer insight:

• Being Seen – Sawubona: A Zulu greeting speaks to the multitude of complexity we all contain. I revisited this on my second Substack post.

• Exploring Life as a Flâneur: The act of exploring by wandering is not only for travel – there are parallels with conversation and how we communicate together.

Why Subscribe?

• If you believe the way we lead our lives and interact with the world around us has the power to change our world, then I hope you will join me here.

• If you enjoy reading short posts on a variety of topics that celebrate the joyous wonders that surround us, then I hope you will join me here.

• If you would like to be part of a community exploring a way of being that gives focus to intentional honoring of ourselves, each other, and this beautiful planet, then I hope you will join me here.

What You Can Expect

For 4 1/2 years, I wrote about “delicious conversations” on my website and on Medium which are defined as intentionally honoring of each person involved, and result in the elevation of the human spirit.

Over this time, I have expanded the traditional definition of conversation to include conversations with myself, my city (New York City is home), the unfolding beauty of nature, and more. The Random Conversation Substack will continue this and also explore the how – that is, the mindset and philosophy behind intentionally honoring interactions.

Current Thinking

• Subscriptions are free to all, though I may consider adding paid subscriptions in the future.

• Subscribers receive an email copy of each post plus access to activity on Notes and Chat. You are invited to interact with all three – and I hope you will!

• I plan to post biweekly to start and the content will reflect where my inner flâneur guides me. I am consistently inspired by the world around me – walks, conversations, reading, and more.

• I will also record audio for each post.

What excites me about Substack is that it actively supports building a community through a combination of Posts, Notes, and Chat. It is my hope that you will join me in creating and building this community.

And Finally, Today’s Bite of Joy

A January 2023 article in The Washington Post referenced the positive effect of “snacking on joy” throughout the day. That started me on the path of sharing bites of joy.

Today’s bite of joy comes from the dog park at Madison Square Park in New York City, not far from where I live.  The large and small dog parks are next to each other, each with their appropriately sized hill, connected by a running stream of fresh water. 

On this day, as with so many others, dogs raced to the top of the hill, then chased each other down and around and back up.  One of them hoped for a playmate to share his ball and played alone trying to attract attention. I managed to capture the photo just as the ball was in mid-flight.

The joy is palpable.  Can you feel it?

Madison Square Park, NYC - Photo by the Author

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