Nuggets of wisdom on love and compassion were flying all over the room. I rummaged through my canvas bag for a pen and used the back of a receipt to jot down some of these thoughts: “Violence is not completely fatal until it ceases to disturb us.” Thomas Merton “We need to cultivate deeply principled… Read more »
I arrived late. I opened the door to the temple and found myself facing seventy people, all dressed in black, all deep in meditation. Oh no! Why did I choose to wear my light blue sweatshirt to a Buddhist retreat?!? I bowed to the alter and found a seat in the furthest corner of the… Read more »
Author Don Miguel Ruiz asks us to be impeccable with our words. “Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.” Taking his cue, I find two of our common… Read more »
This weekend I attended a dance recital of NM school children who are trained free of charge by an organization that teaches with a mission which is to help children develop discipline, a standard of excellence, and a belief in themselves that will carry over into all aspects of their lives. I experienced this performance… Read more »
My favorite alternative doctor, Christiane Northrup, says that people in their 50’s and up should regularly check their blood sugar and make modifications if it is high. She says that some people in the medical field believe that high blood sugar is a precursor to Alzheimers. Okay, so I went to CVS and bought a… Read more »
Some things I’ve learned over the years: Bliss is one letter away from Bless You cannot truly love someone whom you don’t respect. Life is like a bowl of blueberries. At first your choices are big, juicy and sweet. The trick is to enjoy the flavor even when your options get smaller and more tart…. Read more »
My car lease was up. The inspector came today. A stocky young man, the inspector was way too efficient and knowledgeable about cars for me to have anything in common with him. But, in the 45 minutes that he dissected my car from top to bottom , underneath, inside and out from every angle… Read more »
It’s been nine months since I gave away my wedding crystal, discarded hundreds of moldy, faded photographs, and followed a psychic’s suggestion to move west. What have I given birth to? How have I grown? A few years ago someone asked me what I did for fun and, sadly, I couldn’t think of anything. I… Read more »
When I see reports about hate crimes, I wonder how these people feel justified in acting out their rage. There is not a gene for all-consuming hatred against a group of people or assurance of security by being part of a group whose common thread is a perceived enemy. Beliefs of separateness and isolation are… Read more »
I opened a manilla envelope that contained my writings. I thought that I was ready to visit the Ellie of my past and to get a glimpse of an earlier life that I had forgotten. Curiosity tugged at my gut, wonder at my heart. I was wrong. I wasn’t ready or prepared to remember past… Read more »