This is a story about the goodness of humans mixed with the apprehension of challenges. I love people. I’ve had primarily beautiful experiences with fellow humans. (Of course, there’ve been dark days when I’ve been scared, hurt, or felt like I was going it alone. I imagine some of you may have experienced that too.) […]
Category Archives: Peace
Stories about Christmas abound. Some of them are filled with the sadness of missing a loved one. Others recall times, when we were far from home or Christmas didn’t play out the way we painted it in our idyllic imaginations. Mostly, however, the stories we share are the happiest ones. This is one of those […]
Yesterday morning, birds patiently took turns at the feeder. Signs of Spring sprouted up through the snow-covered ground, reaching for the sun. I experienced feeling “happy” as I watched them. Unlike dessert or a perfectly aged cabernet, happiness is life-giving water needed for optimal survival. But, for many, bliss seems unattainable. Perhaps you think, “How dare I […]
Last night, I went to bed hungry. It was by choice, not by necessity. There were moments while lying in the darkened room that I thought about getting up, going into the kitchen, opening a pantry or refrigerator door, and choosing something to eat. But I didn’t. Instead, I thought about the 800 million people on our […]
I recently did some research on Siddhartha Gautama, often simply called, The Buddha. I’m not very familiar with Buddhism, but a conversation with someone important to me regarding whether the human experience requires significant (maybe continual) suffering. created the desire to learn more. Gautama was raised in a life of wealth but left opulence behind […]
I’m acutely aware of how years seem to slip through my fingers like grains of sand. Do you ever feel that way? The fragility of life, and how I spend my precious hours, is never far from my awareness. Today, in a contemplative frame of mind, I’d like to share a piece of poetry. __________ The Library ceiling […]
Weeding is an ongoing task during spring, beginning with the area next to our neighbor’s home. Then, the front beds, vegetable garden, and underneath the blossoming pear tree where the shrubs I planted almost two decades ago (thinking, “they’re so pretty and just the right color”) have become much too large. Sometimes, I don’t research the “will […]
• Walk outside whenever you’re able—without music pounding in your ear or eyes glued to the blacktop—listen to the birds and the swaying trees; notice, fully, what’s right around you. • Life is a series of takes and miss-takes. It’s baby-stepping, learning as we go, and taking giant leaps of faith that, sometimes, seem so monumental that […]
Mistakes…Miss Takes I’m not a movie-making expert, but I know some basics. Actors do “table reads” during rehearsals going through each scene. They “block” to make sure they’re in the right place with the right equipment. There are “takes” when they’re in front of the cameras—sometimes they get everything right the first time. Often, however, […]
“Happy New Year!” These words—maybe this year more than ever—hold so much hope as we pray for freedom from the ravages of a virus, an opportunity to heal a hurting nation, and awareness of the value of each human. A fresh start and the ability to look forward is beautiful—it’s like stepping into a new, […]
Words create images, express emotions, tell stories, elevate the mundane. They are gems just waiting to be strung together and transformed into a new way of viewing life. At their best, words soothe savage beasts, carry us to far-away lands and breathe hope into our beings. WINGED FLIGHT a ladybug lands on the book. her […]
Dear Readers, Yesterday, I reached out to a dozen fellow humans➀ with three questions. COVID-19 was the topic of two of them. I’ll post those answers tomorrow. The third question was one I never imagined asking: “With all the hatred, violence, anger, and pain our country is experiencing, how do we move forward and make a difference?” […]
Many years ago, I experienced moving in and out of the dark. Someone I love was in crisis, and there were times I feared a tragic outcome. It was terrifying and tested my strengths and beliefs. I was walking in the dark. But, in that dark, there was still light. I was continually shown the […]
In the midst of COVID-19, it seems like many of us are in one of two camps. Camp 1 is overflowing with people who are overwhelmed, frustrated or exhausted. Camp 2 holds those who are at the other end of the spectrum and feel defeated, sad, bored, or lonely. How are you holding up? Which camp is […]
Constant Change Most of us understand, at least from a big picture perspective, that Change is Constant. When it impacts our lives personally, however (in relationships, lifestyles, abilities), it often terrorizes us. Most of us don’t like change throwing itself at us without invitation! When stuck in patterns of the past—whether that’s “woe is me” or “whoa, […]
Have you ever spontaneously boarded a shiny railroad car (encouraged by people yelling “come on, join us, it’s going to be fun!”), thinking, “this will be a great adventure” only to learn, too late, that the final destination isn’t anywhere near where you thought you’d end up? When that happens, you have choices: 1. jump off at […]
Questions for the Day How much of the chaos in our homes, do we create? How do we accomplish “peaceful” when all around us there’s pandemonium? How do we expect to experience calm when our environment is screaming “look at me“? Could you do more with less? When you look around your home what’s extraneous or […]
The house is quiet except for the dehumidifier running in the background. We had the rainiest summer since 2011 and the rainiest September on record, in 117 years. It reminds me a lot of Portland, Oregon, where I’d visit my daughter, Erin, who lived there for a while. My prayer list is really long right […]
Part I—Danger Through the course of evolution, our brains have moved away from cave-men/women mindsets of always being hyper-vigilant—thinking that there’s likely danger right around the corner waiting to destroy us. Some of us, however, never evolve past that—we’re still expecting the next “terrifying thing” to come barreling at us, so we’re unable to ever simply […]
The box is elegantly wrapped with two layers of perfectly tied ribbon. It’s shiny and beautiful and creates a hushed, “what do you think could be in that beautiful package?” Next to it, sits an obviously previously used, dented and taped at the corners box with a stick-on bow, slapped on the top. Have you ever been […]
Her hands were pressed tightly together and she was aware of the energy between those two hands— hands that worked hard, hands that reached out, hands that held those who were in the dark. Tears started to flow—tears that she was surprised by. After all, tears don’t change anything. She concentrated on being still, but […]
Tears—big, fat tears; the kind that make some men uncomfortable, and many women sigh—rolled down his cheeks. He lay on a hospital bed, his life nearing the end, spending precious moments with his daughter who sat next to him—this daughter who wasn’t his and was always his. He was only in his sixties. He talked […]
One morning, I woke up long before the sun was rising. I walked into the bathroom, closed the door and flipped the light switch. Nothing happened. Then I realized there were no lights anywhere. The programmed lights outside weren’t on. The little light on the electric toothbrush wasn’t flashing. Hmmmm….no instant gratification light going on here this morning. […]
There are lines (sometimes very fine) between embracing fully, accepting, settling and giving up. Today, let’s talk about giving up. It’s easy to imagine abandoning hope when you: feel scared or vulnerable, hide in the shadows, don’t have the support of those who are “supposed” to love you, are victimized or minimized or give up […]
Today is “The Fourth of July”. Independence Day, in The United States of America, celebrates the signing of “The Declaration of Independence” from the United Kingdom. Some years we go to an amazing fireworks display, in a little town near our home. There’s a sing-a-long with music representing all branches of our Armed Forces and then fireworks are set off […]
peace full home®—intentional living 