How the story ends
Everyone has a sanctuary. If only in their mind. That space (or place) where we feel grounded, or at home in our own skin. Where there is nothing to prove and no one to impress. For me it is my…
Savor simple pleasures
GK Chesterton tells the story of a teenage boy granted one wish by a genie. “Do you wish to be huge or tiny?” We are all swayed by the appeal of being big, strong and powerful. So, the boy chose…
Inviting life in
During a noon-hour rush on a steamy July day, two men were jockeying their way through the crowd on a New York City avenue. They practically shouted as they tried to hear one other above the din. One man, a native New…
When healing happens
“Can you make room in your Sabbath Moment for those of us along the way in a season of grief?” A reader asked. The answer is yes. For starters, I’m glad she asked. You see, I probably wouldn’t have. When life gets sticky…
Courage to live wholehearted
A rather unsophisticated man endured a medical operation with a 20% chance of survival. When told about his condition and the odds that were against him, he engaged in no calculations and did not consult with another physician. He said simply,…
Stories to heal our hearts
Some stories are like restorative prayers. They invite (no, they require) retelling, for the healing of our spirit and our soul. In the tragic war in Sarajevo, a reporter covering the fighting and violence in the middle of the city,…
Fear is not the final answer
In the documentary "Last Letters Home," Paula Zasadny, mother of 19-year-old Specialist Holly McGeogh (killed by a bomb in Kirkuk), talks about a visit from marines in dress uniform. "It was the lightest tap on my door that I've ever…
A weight is lifted
I love the uplifting story Sue Monk Kidd tells about her grandfather. My grandfather was a lawyer, a judge, and a farmer. He was frequently busy and conquesting, but I remember also that he sometimes entered the golden moments of wu wei. He and I…
The world I want to live in
Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive. I know it's true for me. This week, a story from poet Naomi Shihab Nye. Wandering around the Albuquerque Airport Terminal, after learning my flight had been delayed four…
I want to live deliberately
A small art gallery near Lake Galway in Ireland holds an exhibition with local art. A poet of no small renown drops by to view it. As he finishes his perusing, a local farmer arrives. Once a year, the farmer…