Author’s Note: This is a list of the key life lessons I learned from each story. You might have taken different ones…
The Shot
When you have to face the inevitable,
it’s best just to get it over with.
The Challenge
Sometimes a tie is really a win.
The Nature of Attachment
Doing the right thing can be painful.
The Empty Threat
Empty threats are worse than none at all.
Bridging the Racial Divide
Life isn’t fair — but it’s easier with companionship.
“…And Nothing but the Truth”
Defeat rationalizations with truth.
Worse and Worser
Things could always be worse.
The Zen Stripper
Living in the moment makes life manageable.
Testing the Limits
You only know you’ve gone too far when you’ve gone too far.
A Short Story
Try to replace envy with self-acceptance.
The Ticking Clock
You risk losing the present by fretting about the future.
The Stoned Wall
Recognize the limits of your own control.
The Marvels of Cynicism
A healthy dose of cynicism is a potent antidote against gullibility.
Kiss Quest
Simple is better — but not always easier.
Passing the Ultimate Buck
Some gaps can never be bridged.
The Impostor Syndrome
When you don’t know what to do, fake it ‘til you make it.
15-Zip
It’s all a matter of scale.
Hedonic Greed
Beware the illusion of choice.
The Shell Game
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Empathic Failure
Find forgiveness through empathy.
Tincture of Time
The two best healers are Mother Nature and Father Time.
It’s Just a Four-Letter Word
The answers to some questions are destined to remain unknowable.
Uncool Effort
Try hard — but not too hard.
The Booby Prize
Insight has frustrating limits.
Obviously
There are merits to just sticking with the basics.
Inverted Self-Esteem
Have the wisdom not to fight every battle.
When Intuition Goes Awry
Learn when to trust facts over feelings.
The Prozac Dilemma
Every decision involves trade-offs.
Pseudo-Worries
It’s easier to worry about things we can control than things we can’t.
“He Just Doesn’t Understand”
’Tis better to solve than to complain.
Lying or Crazy?
Differentness in itself is not a threat.
“We Hold These Truths…”
Love is a self-evident truth.
Biofeedback
Your body is the conduit to your emotions.
Journey B. Goode
The journey can be more satisfying than the destination.
To Love, Honor, and Betray
The experience of betrayal accentuates the value of loyalty.
Zorro Goes Home
Love something enough to let it go.
Perfectly Flawed
Perfectionism is flawed.
The Third Act
With age, the absence of catastrophic news is great news.
Final Request
Never underestimate the will to live.
The Shot — Redux
It is what you make of it.
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(P. S. If these lessons seem too obvious, please take a look at the story titled “Obviously”!)