Devote energy to yourself and those you love. Only speak nicely of others, and if you can’t, keep quiet. Avoid reality television shows that showcase the worst of human nature. Do the same on social media. Allocate more time to learning about people who are doing or have done something good for the world. Avoid superficialities in thought and action. Remain aware of your true needs. This is more likely to lead to contentment. Be charitable. Go on walks in nature. Most problems can be sorted out on a walk. Routinely break the cycle of chaos, of multitasking, of sensory overload and fragmentation by allocating time each week to simply be still. Sit on a rock, or in the sand, or at the base of a tree, and allow your mind to rest. Reconnect with the energy of the universe. Make yourself a recipient of nature’s boundless endowment.

At your ages – 12, 10, and 7 – each of you still sings in the shower. Loudly, as if no one else is in the house. You have all done this since you were small. A child’s singing is one of the most beautiful things that can grace a parent’s ears. I pray that you will one day experience it.

The long weekend we spent with friends on Captiva Island, driving a caravan of golf carts to dinner, you and your friends packed onto the back of each, all of you singing at the top of your lungs:

“And I miss the way you make me feel, and it’s real. We watched the sunset over the castle on the hill!”

“Amazing that they all know the lyrics?” I remember thinking. It sounded so wonderful, all those little voices filling the humid air. Fortunately I was wearing sunglasses so no one could see the tears in my eyes. The rest of the world did not matter. We were detached from all else, with great friends, insulated and happy, enjoying one of those rare moments in life when there is literally no place you would rather be.