“It is not happiness that makes us grateful, it is gratefulness that makes us happy.” ~ Brother David Steindl-Rast, Benedictine Monk According to David Steindl-Rast, gratitude can be found in 3 easy steps — the same steps to crossing a street. Earlier this year, I created 3 Simple Steps to Balance. (Check out my prior post.) …Read More
Category: Journal
Howard Thurman: I Will Light Candles this Christmas
From “The Mood of Christmas…”—by Howard Thurman I will light Candles this Christmas,Candles of joy despite all the sadness,Candles of hope where despair keeps watch,Candles of courage for fears ever present,Candles of peace for tempest-tossed days,Candles of grace to ease heavy burdens,Candles of love to inspire all my living,Candles that will burn all year long. …Read More
Winter Solstice 2017 – Shortest Day
Welcome to the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere In the tropics of South Florida where I live, the length of the day is pretty constant. As you move towards the North Pole, the length of the day changes dramatically. This past November, I was in Scotland, which is about the same …Read More
Bowl of Light – Ancestral Wisdom of Hawaii
The ancient Hawaiians teach that we are all born with a Bowl of Light. That light inspires us and sustains us. As we grow in experience and wisdom of love, our light shines. But every time we lie, steal, or injure others, a stone gets placed in the bowl. This stone displaces the light. If …Read More
Life, Death, and Health Insurance
When my grandmother came to the United States in the 1940’s to find work, she always bought life insurance. A proud and independent woman, she came to earn money for her struggling family. She would later tell me, “I didn’t want to be a burden to anyone.” When she could afford it, life insurance was …Read More
On Passing a Graveyard
There is beauty in the blessing of the simple everyday things, even on passing a graveyard. In his book, To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings, John O’Donohue encourages us to slow down and discover the sacred in the everyday. On November 2nd, All Soul’s Day honors the souls of the departed …Read More
Story of Halloween
October 31st is All Hallows’ Eve in some Christian traditions. Today, we shorten the name to Halloween. This begins the 3-day festival of All Hallows’ Tide. What is a Hallow? The word means “holy” as in “hallowed ground” and is another word for Saint (a holy person). Just as Christmas Eve precedes Christmas Day, All …Read More
NPR Tiny Desk Concert: Cantus
NPR Tiny Desk Concerts brings amazing singers right into your home. Be inspired by music and musicians. These concerts provide a small intimate setting that creates a personal experience. The next best thing to a live concert, NPR Tiny Desk Concerts are recorded live at the desk of the host of NPR’s All Songs Considered. …Read More
Mission: Loved As I Am
Inspiring quote for today: “My mission, should I choose to accept it, is to find peace with exactly who and what I am. To take pride in my thoughts, my appearance, my talents, my flaws and to stop this incessant worrying that I can’t be loved as I am.” — Anais Nin What’s your mission? …Read More
The Dance by Oriah Mountain Dreamer
“What if the question is not why am I so infrequently the person I really want to be, but why do I so infrequently want to be the person I really am?” — Oriah Mountain Dreamer, The Dance: Moving to the Rhythms of Your True Self In her prior book, The Invitation, Oriah Mountain Dreamer …Read More