To heal the world we touch
“Oh the land of the cloudless day,” Willie sings. The music is cranked up, of course, to the level that makes your heart swell.And I smile big, thinking how I prefer my life and my stories that way; with cloudless…
Glad to be alive
I walk every morning. A few miles. Around Fisher Pond, here on Vashon Island. Not far from my house, I pass my neighbor’s field, home to a flock of sheep.Today, I stopped and talked with them. Two of the mamas…
Hope will not be cancelled
Pandemic.Not an easy opening to follow. But the world has shifted. And the pain and sacrifice are real.But here’s what I know: Life didn’t stop. And the earth still turns. As I write these words, the moon, waning Gibbous, smiles…
How is your heart?
This week, my mind raced. Unsettled. And I know I am not alone.You know the world has tilted slightly, when Costco is out of toilet paper.“What do you do to stay sane?” a reader asked me. “I’m unnerved. There’s too…
To go where it hurts
A mother begins her weekend breakfast routine, pulling ingredients from the refrigerator. Omelets on the family menu this morning. Before she knows it, her two-year-old daughter has climbed a chair and is now sitting on the kitchen counter."Momma, can I…
Let us bless one another
Some days, I wish I was made of stronger stuff. And I don’t want to admit it, as it feels like a defect to be concealed. Some days, I don’t have the words. Some years ago, a homesick dog made…
We dance to heal
This week a news story stopped me in my tracks.(Which is hardly abnormal these days.)But this story made me pay attention, inviting questions about what really matters. Let’s be honest, in today’s din, that’s not easy to do. After 30…
Keeps my hope alive
For Rugby fans, Saturday was magical. For non-fans, Saturday was magical. And heartwarming.South Africa wins their third World Cup. The enduring image? 28-year-old Siya Kolisi, the Springboks’ first black captain, lifts the trophy.In my TV room, I smile big, and…
The Meaning of Life
“What is the meaning of life?” she asks me.We are sitting at a table, at a retreat center where I am the guest speaker.I smile. Because that question is far more direct and interesting than, “How was the traffic?” So,…
Crossing thresholds
This week I received news that someone I love is near death’s door.Like the earthquakes in California this past week; you think you are prepared. There’s even an alert app for your phone.And yet, your world is visibly shaken.Living with…
