As 2015 draws to a close, as soon as I started to feel stressed about getting the right gifts, never mind affording them, hoping to see friends and family, dealing with fraught relationships, and my unmet hopes and dreams. To accept what is and the messiness of life, I found solace in listening to meditation teacher Tara Brach's podcast, often on the subway.

Luckily, I got to speak to the person who had offered me the space to sit with all of the above and more. I met with Tara Brach at the Unitarian Church in Bethesda, Maryland, where she gives weekly dharma talks. We spoke about how to be mindfully angry; the dilemma of compartmentalizing and success; cultural differences in how we give; and how she navigates trauma and pain, both her own and others. It's a great listen for anyone interested in what it is like to care for an about others, as a living.

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