How Ego Tricks You Into Believing It's You

Key points

We spend much of our lives chasing material comfort, but none of it comes with us when we die.

True fulfillment comes not from status or possessions, but from how we choose to live and give.

Everyday moments of kindness, even small ones, are ways we nurture the core self.

In September 2015, I gave birth to my son—my second child—via C-section in a hospital in San Diego. I had only been in the United States for a couple of months. I didn’t know the healthcare system or the school system. I didn’t know who to call when I needed help. My English was still limited—I was learning it at school.

In fact, I gave birth right at the start of my short two-week school break. Which meant that in just two weeks, I would need to return to class.

It was my first time giving birth in a new