Split in Two (when no decision is a decision)

  June 21, 2019 Dear Friends, My sister Marilyn recently traveled to Scotland and sent me a photo of the "Praying Hands of Mary" (see photo above) which is located in the longest glen of Scotland, Glen Lyon.  It is also known as "Fionn's Rock" and the legend is that Celtic hero Fionn MacCumhaill (Finn …

Even the Desert Blooms

I recently left the California Coachella Valley just when it was awash in beauty, blossoms, and color.  This phenomenon ~ when the desert is richly carpeted in thousands of wildflowers ~ is called a "Super Bloom". It happens when a late fall monsoon occurs followed by cold temperatures that lock in moisture. These conditions prepare …

Rays of Light, Rays of Hope (making crises work for us)

Dear Friends, My family members and I are always looking for rays of light in the photos we take. Sometimes the light rays are streaking and peaking through branches of trees; at other times they are luminous emanations splayed from clouds. We like to imagine that the light beams are visitations from our loved ones, …

Good Samaritans on the Road of Life

Dear Friends, There were a few incidents of late that led me to reflect on the issue of Good Samaritans appearing in one’s life and making all the difference in the world.   I’ve been chewing on and reflecting upon this subject and trying to bring the scattered seeds of thought together into one cohesive whole …

The Conjuring Coin

  I recently had the delightful pleasure of sharing a mini vacation with my daughter and grandson. It was the first airplane ride for the three year old and I was excited to be able to share it with him. The three of us sat at an airport café having snacks before our flight and …

The Tail of a Whale

Some folks may surmise that I am getting ready to offer up an exaggerated whale of a tale, but I seriously wish to recite a tale about the tail of a whale. Climbing to the top of a Pacific coast bluff on a late Friday afternoon, undeterred by winds picking up, I focused my sights …

The Blank Screen

  A big life change for me is looming.  I am set to retire in a few months and I am having bouts of anxiety about these changes.  I'm more of a swooning bundle of trepidation than of grace these days, with goose bumps rippling up and down my limbs. People tell me that once I do …

Slowing it down

 I recently heard someone say in a self-help YouTube video that she "woke some people up, but it was too early for them and they crashed and burned".   Or words to that effect.  Something struck me about that statement and I immediately responded internally that no one can take full responsibility for waking up others.  Perhaps a …

A Little More Quiet, S’il Vous Plait

  I naturally wake up any time between 5am – 6am. I really don't consider myself a morning person, but when I wake up early naturally, it's as if my brain has suddenly flipped a switch and turned on and I feel quite clear headed.  If somehow I trick myself to falling back asleep, I tend …