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 […]
Tag Archives: awareness
The world looks very different right now. Much that we’ve taken for granted has disappeared, pushing us to rethink our lives and priorities. Many of us have had to recreate day-to-day life. For some, that brings physical solitude that’s punctuated by virtual visits and phone conversations. For others, it means complete isolation or, on the […]
CHOICES peace, peace, precious peace pain, pain, poignant pain hope, hope, honored hope hate, hate, horrid hate love, love, lasting love loss, loss, lonely loss faith, faith, fervent faith fear, fear, fractious fear peace, hope, love, faith pain, hate, loss, fear all of these are part of life which of these […]
We usually have some sense of which way our lives are headed, but one of the many lessons, during this time of upheaval is that: when we learn to embrace uncertainty by being present in the moments we have right now, we will have mastered honoring each day as the gift it is. In light of what […]
From The World Health Organization: “Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. COVID-19 is a new strain that was discovered in 2019 and has not been previously identified in humans.” As […]
“Different Views” their upbringings and lives to this point were very similar; they both knew good and bad, happiness and sorrow but, they chose to walk through life very differently. his house and life were full; overfull really, but he was like an empty vessel; his heart devoid of love, not believing in the possibility of meaningful human […]
I’m aware, so often, of the fragility of each moment (this one is slipping away as I finish this sentence). Most of us assume so much: that we’ll still be breathing at the end of this day, that our loved ones will continue to be part of our lives, that we’ll have food to eat […]
The waves crash onto the shore as I walk on the deserted beach not long after the sun has decided to grace us, once again, with her morning majesty. Litter—empty plastic cups, a beat-up cooler, two broken chairs, a few beer bottles—carelessly left behind by fellow humans, stands out hideously in the otherwise perfection of […]
Almost every day, I talk with someone about life. Yeah, I know, that’s a really enormous topic but those conversations aren’t usually about tackling “the big picture”; just little clips of it. I realize that what I write about is often insignificant in the grand scheme of our planet (and I never want to lose sight of the […]
January is the month my Dad passed back to spirit side. He was an amazing man. This is part of the eulogy I wrote for his funeral twenty years ago. I remember it like it was yesterday….. It was Christmas Eve, 1966—a year with a storm so huge we couldn’t open the back door. Dad was […]
For those who feel despair and those who offer hope; for those who are scared and those who show love, and for those who are lost and those who guide the way, these poems are for you. FINDING HOPE worlds collide the past and the present slamming into each other— painfully, without regard for the […]
A teenager doesn’t make the football team. He starts swearing about how wrong and stupid the coaches are. A teenager doesn’t have anyone to sit with at lunch. He remembers how his father always told him he was “unlovable”. A couple sits with a large group, in a restaurant, to celebrate a friend’s birthday. They […]
Where do you find joy? Why does joy often seem so elusive? What is joy? “Joy” and “happy” are not the same. Happiness is a response to something you experience—watching a funny movie, playing with a grandchild, taking a great vacation or completing something successfully (a class, an athletic endeavor, an interview, even an organizing […]
For some, “New Year’s Resolutions” are an annual part of closing one calendar year and moving onto the next. Others never participate in that practice. For many of us, it’s haphazard. Some years we’re “all in”—creating a list of what we want to change or accomplish; what we resolve to do. Other years, we simply roll […]
“THANKSGIVING” The table of thanksgiving is set. For many it will be a table filled with laughter and reminiscing. For others, it will be a table for one. A barely perceptible voice whispers, “you are loved”. Prayers will be fervently shared through the lens of joy. Prayers will be uttered almost silently, spilling from a […]
If you had limitless resources and time, what would you pursue? What is your dream? Maybe your dream is moving somewhere warmer, quitting the job you hate and doing something fulfilling, traveling to beautiful places or finding the right person to share life with. Perhaps it’s hearing someone say, “What can I do for you; […]
11/21/19, a note to God: Hi God, Years continue to rush by in what seems like the blink of an eye. The last one flew by faster than the previous ten, and much more quickly than the twenty before that. The first thirty—well, they seemed to meander slowly; like a lazy river taking its time, enjoying the […]
PONDERING he has a keen knowing that there is more, but there are times when he feels ill-equipped to change the tide sometimes he stays anchored to the shoreline; afraid to wade out a little deeper, but sometimes he takes a chance and jumps into the ocean and, so, his evolution continues…. sometimes baby-stepping all […]
Disclosure: I am very sensitive, and I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve been told, “you’re too/so/overly sensitive”. I used to try to defend what was being said as a negative (and as an accusation as opposed to a compliment). Now, I simply say, “Yes, you’re right. I completely own that I’m very […]
• Do you ever feel like you’re firmly on solid ground— life is completely stable; everything’s under control; you’re easily putting one foot in front of the other? • Do you ever feel like you’re walking on an uneven path—sometimes you’re on stable ground, but other times you could make just one tiny misstep and fall? • […]
The guy in a designer suit strolled right past the man sitting on the frayed, and very dirty, piece of blanket on a street corner. It wasn’t as if he didn’t visually see him, it was just that he believed that man wasn’t worth truly seeing. After all, he must be a loser or a drunk […]
I know people who spend money purchasing beautiful art, creating memorable experiences and enjoying gastronomic feasts. Some use their income and energy creating homes that feed their souls. Others live frugally so that they can support causes that pull at their heartstrings. I see people, who have very little financially, give much of what they […]
Yesterday, I was downstairs in the shop organizing hardware storage cabinets. Small bins hold everything from nails and screws to plumbing and electrical parts, and they’re all labeled by their contents, so we know where things are. The process is pretty mindless. For example, screws are separated by drives like slotted, Phillips, and hex. Sorting […]
I Second Thoughts How many times have you said something like: “on second thought, I shouldn’t have hit ‘send’, on second thought, I’ll have the asparagus instead of the broccoli, on second thought, going to that party is not a good idea, or on second thought, I don’t want to keep trying to be her […]
So, for the first time in my life, I locked my keys in my car (in the trunk to be exact). And, it was on a (very) hot summer day. My thoughts in order (yep, I actually wrote them down): “Wow, that was REALLY stupid!” “That’s what you get for rushing!” “Now, I’m going to […]
peace full home®—intentional living 