“Gratitude … secures the kind of joy that us human beings look for. I always say joy is the happiness that doesn’t depend on what happens. And, usually, we have the idea, well, when something nice happens, then I’m happy, and when something bad happens, of course I’m unhappy. Well, you can be unhappy, and …Read More
Category: Journal
Speaking in Praise – the Song of a Friend
“A friend is someone who knows your song, and sings it back to you when you forget.” ~ adapted from an anonymous quote My friend, R. Sunde, is an inspiring role model that I met at Toastmasters, the organization I joined nearly a decade ago to improve my public speaking skills. Sunde is full of …Read More
Silly Things – The Importance of Play
“Friends don’t let friends do silly things alone.” ~ from BlueMountain e-card To all my friends out there that get silly with me, you know who you are. Thank you! I’m looking forward to a New Year of more fun, more silliness, more play. As a child, I remember the day that I decided to grow …Read More
New Year’s Intention – What the world needs
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ― Howard Thurman. What makes you come alive? What inspires you? What fills you with spirit? To come alive is to live a spiritual life. To come alive is …Read More
Connecting to God through Nature
As I hiked up the Sacred Valley of the Incas to Machu Picchu, the backpack full of snacks and clothes got heavier and heavier. My shoulders ached. I started to eat the snacks, just to lighten the load. Oranges seemed like a good idea at the start of this trip, but now they just felt …Read More
David Steindl-Rast: 3 Steps to Gratitude
“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
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