So I’m on my third, fourth, or maybe fifth time watching the entire seven-season run of Star Trek: The Next Generation. (I live alone…Amazon Prime and I are good friends.) The fifteenth episode of season six is called “Tapestry.” And here’s a quick synopsis because it’s important to understand the essence of this episode for…
Quiet Life
Writing the Sly Silence Within
Working on a mindfulness certification, the one practice that pulls me forward is following the word. That is, following the words that appear in my head as I’m meditating. I follow, realize I’m following, and return to breathing. I do the same thing when writing. This practice developed by reading Julia Cameron and Natalie Goldberg…
One Drop of Rain
One drop of rain holds the cosmos. One drop of rain heralds change. One drop of rain refracts light into darkness. One simple action does make a difference. Something as seemingly trivial can be just enough to improve another’s day. Try authentically acknowledging the cashier at the drive through, at the grocery store, at the…
Gratitude and Thanks
I picked the image for this month’s mindfulness back in January, and randomly picked a word to go with the month. The image says peace, yet the word is gratitude. I thought that maybe I should change the words or the image to better suit November. After all, it’s Thanksgiving here in the US and…
Escape To The Lake Near Grand Rapids, Michigan
I escaped to a small, private lake earlier this month. It was the first weekend that we -finally- had warm weather. I glamped in a 1970s camper surrounded by trees. I had a couple of campfires. I forgot to bring marshmallows. I admired the deep blue sky at night as the full moon rose….
Magic and Missing Sandals
We’re accustomed to hearing sad stories about our world: terrorist attacked, accidental deaths, car crashes, explosions, and more permeate our lives through the media. And perhaps because of the profusion of ‘bad’ news, we forget that the world is magical, mysterious, and often humorous. I was reminded of this on a simple Sunday evening. Tibetan…
Do Nothing This Summer
Here in the Midwest, it’s finally summer and the urge to get busy is overwhelming. Finally, no need to worry about snow covering the roads and making travel hazardous. Finally days that seem to last two days. Finally the garden is growing, flowers blooming. It’s hot and humid during the day while cool breezes blow…