My son and daughter-in-law have a system. When their almost-three-year-old daughter misbehaves, instead of reprimanding her as a person, they say that she made a bad choice. She has to go to Time Out against the wall and count to ten. When she comes back into the family social place, she has to say what… Read more »
Today I went to see my 96-year-old mother-in-law who is bedridden, barely able to move and living with Alzheimer’s. I went to say good-bye. I thought that this might be the last time that I saw her. I wanted closure and to know that for one last time I told her that I loved her… Read more »
It’s my last day in Santa Fe. I go home tomorrow to an icy driveway, broken pipe, and impending snowstorm. As the phone calls went from plumber to neighbor I was feeling more and more out of control. I remembered writing in my last blog about dancing in the face of uncertainty. It was so… Read more »
I am sitting in a coffee shop listening to soft sixties music waiting with everyone else for the snowstorm to end. Yes, it snows in Santa Fe, and the locals are grateful for the moisture. I am reflecting on my time here as the month of exploration is almost over. Within two weeks, I… Read more »
Tonight I have nothing to offer you. Not a story, not a quote, not a lesson…nada, zip, nothing, zilch. I could come up with something to write, but my heart is quiet and not into it. This quietness reminds me of the Taoist state called wuji. It is pure nothingness, before the contrast of light… Read more »
While hiking on a trail in Hawaii a few years ago, my daughter and I came to a stream that we had to cross. It was about eight inches deep and dotted with rocks, some round, some pointed, many submerged. It was precarious to cross the stream. There was no clear route. When my daughter… Read more »
My daughter and I needed a break from tedious trips to Staples and Best Buy. We drove to Mt.Shasta, just over the border into California, for a hike on a mountain trail. Alone on the trail, we decided to take off our shoes and gather some earth energy through our feet. Barefoot and… Read more »
The saga continues, but now it’s 1300 miles away on a horse farm in Ashland, Oregon. A few days ago, my daughter, who newly settled in Ashland in an apartment with only a blow-up mattress and a few blankets, suggested that I go there to check it out before settling in Santa Fe. Being such… Read more »
This morning I received a nasty comment regarding my blogs. It was a personal affront from someone who might have been an acquaintance. It stated that only someone who has the finances could have an such an adventure and have the luxury of talking about it. This person was angry and offended. This person… Read more »
I finally got to the Zen monastery today. But, as things are always different than what you expect, my experience was surprising. I drove two hours through fast food towns and construction to enjoy the last fifteen minutes of beautiful scenery before arriving at the monastery. Upon arriving, I was greeted by chickens roaming… Read more »
