When who we are is how we are supposed to be
Last week I received the latest episode in my ongoing series, “Lessons in Loss and Grief.” A close, dear friend died after suffering the hell of pancreatic cancer. Because I had worked hard last year through the “Beginning Grief” lessons, I thought I was prepared. Appreciating the power of tears, I’d cried many times through […]
Small Acts Can Light the World
All around us tiny acts of kindness are happening daily. You have done some of them. Big or small, they bring light to the world. Sometimes, they change lives. Despite the occasional thanks we receive, often we don’t know the long-term results of our actions. Occasionally, when we’re lucky, someone will tell us about a […]
And now, a brief view from the land of the ordinary
The world’s been a bit gloomy, so I thought we needed a change. A little visit to main street, real life, the ordinary. Because contrary to what we sometimes hear, good people are doing lots of good-hearted, regular things every day. I thought it was time to sample a few of them. Genevieve T. in Brooklyn celebrated […]
Set Up Your Day With Morning Rituals and Routines
In these tumultuous times, as I wrote about last week, morning rituals and routines set the direction for our days. They offer a base of calm stability from which to travel into our work and to-dos. Plus, they’re fun to design. For years, I’ve been interested in the rituals and routines that famous artists and writers have […]
Coping with (collective) grief during the holidays
The holidays can be challenging when we’re feeling grief, especially after personal losses—even those from long ago. This year many of us are also feeling another shade of grief that can compound the personal. It’s grief for the state of the world. Recently, I googled “How to survive collective grief during the holidays” and a […]
Overwhelmed? It’s OK to “Cry Uncle!”
I had tea this week with a close friend, one of the most kind, competent, and generous people I know. Also one of the most ill. In the ideal world, she would just have one job: her own healing, but in this world, she has to handle finances, deal with a big home repair, consult […]
How to Celebrate a Birthday with 72 Delights
Birthdays are a funny thing. When I was six, a birthday expanded my world. It meant more adventures, a later bedtime, and an allowance. But at sixty, my birthday felt less promising. The end horizon on life felt so much closer. How do we celebrate that? With style, I say, or, everyone in their own special way. The first […]
To bless the cyber space between us
What if you had a friend with whom you spent a sizeable portion of your life, yet you treated the relationship like one you could ignore or take for granted? My relationship with my computer, and the cyber fields in which we travel together, has been one of utility. After all, computers are not sentient […]
Are you “too sensitive?”
Did anyone ever tell you, “You’re being too sensitive” when you were growing up? Maybe they wanted to help you by offering comfort after your encounter with the neighborhood bully or local “mean girl.” Or maybe they were wanting to say, “Get over it.” Sensitivity, however, isn’t something you just get over. Yes, you may […]
Wordless
Words are beautiful but sometimes need to waitLest they be out of place.The world must be experienced before it can be described. I tread in a new land.My sister,(the “good friend” mentioned in these blogs)died Tuesday.Before I write about itI need to take the ride, traverse the storms, And live more fully into this place called death,Holding onto the […]
