In the interests of taking a breather from the current headlines, I would like to reflect just a bit on personal non-violence…and to encourage each of us to take December (and maybe all of 2016) to practice some patience, some compassion, and some gentleness toward our own souls, spirits, minds, and bodies. I suggest this …
This is the time of year when thoughts turn to gifts: giving and receiving. Most of us in the parts of the world where Christianity and/or Judaism have a presence are busy thinking about what we can buy (or, less often, make) as gifts for a list that might range from only one or two …
There are seasons of our life in which it is easy to be thankful, and seasons when it is difficult. However, gratitude – like love – is not really an emotion; it is a practice. We all know them: the people whose life is radiant with gratitude. They shine with blessing, and that blessing is …
I know I have been speaking about this for a week or so, but I am intensely curious about what I hear and see around me. We seem to be on or near a fulcrum of resolution (or panic – I think it can go either way). For some reason, the attacks on Paris have …
On New Year’s Eve 1972, I stood under the Arc de Triomphe near France’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and looked down the Champs Elysees in breathless wonder. I was alone in a city meant for lovers, but all I was aware of (besides the cold) was the light. Every tree along the Champs Elysees …
[Yes — this is a day late. Life happened.] There was a little hiatus in our tidying process during my 21-Day Art Journey and then our week with our daughter and son-in-law in St Paul. In fact, I wondered if the pause would drain the energy and momentum, whether we might just stop part-way …
I saw the video in a hotel room in Council Bluffs. My husband follows news with an enthusiasm I have long since lost, so I was puttering around trying to arrange things without actually unpacking anything – not a surprise for those of you who followed my posts on sabbatical. The announcer’s voice took on …
Just over a month ago, I turned to my husband and said, “I can’t imagine being part of a religious tradition where thousands of people die on pilgrimage.” The reports from Mecca every year touch a primal fear in me. I hate crowds. Even in high school and college I wouldn’t go to concerts because …
Before I start I want to wish a Happy Birthday to my beloved son-in-law who begins a new year today. First: If you have not read last Wednesday’s blog, please click through here and read it [Harvesting (sometimes elusive) Courage] I don’t want anyone wondering what happened! Second: If you think you have signed up …
Roles — and how we use them, misuse them, abuse them, take them up, take them on, and lay them aside (or don’t) — have been on my mind and heart recently. My husband and I have moved on from the clothing part of ‘tidying up’ to sorting books. We are not yet finished with …