Lately, I’ve been looking at my old friends and thinking, "How did they look so old?" And yet, here I am, approaching 60 myself. As surprising as it feels, this milestone has me reflecting on life’s journey—the good times, tough moments, and unexpected turns. Life hasn’t always been smooth, but I’m deeply grateful for it all. Thank you for being there with me, supporting, teaching, and sharing the ride.
Turning 60 feels like closing one circle of life and starting another. In many traditions, it marks the end of a cycle, and that resonates with me. Twenty years ago, when I turned 40, we began planting trees for peace. At the same time, my mother gave me a flagpole as a birthday present—a symbol of rooting and growth. Now, 20 years later, I have a new home, but no flagpole—and no mother. Yet, as I turn 60, I’ll be raising a new flagpole, a powerful reminder of continuity, resilience, and honoring the past while looking forward.
This sense of cycles mirrors my current work and the Peace Circle™ initiative. Building something meaningful isn’t easy, but it allows me to turn challenges into growth, connect with others, and make a lasting impact. As I move into this new circle in life, I’m driven to create global change—because, like life’s circles, every action creates ripples far beyond what we see. And I still have time to make those ripples count.
Life is fragile, and every new day is a blessing. By focusing on today and being thankful for each moment, life becomes more meaningful.
One of my favorite quotes from St. Francis of Assisi captures this perfectly: “Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” Even small actions can lead to something much bigger, and that’s what motivates me to keep striving for meaningful impact—just like circles and ripples in life.
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