Wise words can come from unexpected places–and then be unexpectedly valuable. I was at a memorial service on Saturday… the second of January…a time when we are all thinking about new starts and fresh, more effective ways of doing things. It was ironic to attend a memorial service—a celebration of a life just ended—to be …
Growing, Grown, Gone
Saying “Goodbye” is as much a part of life as saying, “Hello”. The amaryllis blooms are done. They were beautiful while they were around…but life for all living things is fragile and fleeting. They were the star of the show at my dining table for days, but now they are gone. I’ve moved them from …
Slipping Through my Fingers…NOT
Time is precious. Children are precious. Grab the moments and love your kids. This time of year has me with more unstructured time than usual. …time to spend playing games, or in outdoor activities with family. Love that. And more time to watch a movie. Mamma Mia has become a favorite of mine. The beautiful …
The Downside of "Comfortable"
It’s not always the worst thing to be uncomfortable. In fact, there is a place for discomfort. Not very sensitive-seeming words for a therapist to be writing in her blog, huh? Let me explain. A few weeks back I was at Costco and saw this winter running shirt in a super fancy fabric that holds …
Unspeakable Pain, Unspeakable Beauty
What does one do when one has lost everything? I had a chance recently to visit with some folks who have been through a lot. In late fall 2008, their house had burnt down. To the ground. Total loss. These are people in their senior years, and had a lifetime of memories in that household. …
Growing…Growing…Grown!
Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made and forgot to put a soul into. – Henry Ward Beecher, Life Thoughts or If you pass by the color purple in a field and don’t notice it, God gets real pissed off. – Alice Walker The amaryllis has bloomed…it is dark and dreary outside, but …
Christmas Mourning
Totensonntag was a part of my childhood. The church of my childhood marked “Totensonntag” (toe-ten-zon-tahg) on the last Sunday of the church calendar year—the first Sunday of the church calendar year being the first Sunday of Advent—four Sundays before Christmas. So Totensonntag (directly translated from the German—“Dead Sunday”) was generally in late November. Totensonntag was …
A Few of my Favorite Things
The days are short, and the long nights are dark and cold…a time when it is important to be vigilant about things that are in contrast to the dreariness of life. Tomorrow is “So-Low-Down-is-Up” Day. These are a few of my favorite things that have brought brightness to my days: Chai tea…something about the boiling …
Growing
Knowing that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the best opportunity for growing into the healthiest of people. Fred Rogers The beloved “Mr. Rogers” An update every few days does not do this amaryllis justice. The redness is clearly visible here…but before I had a chance to post this…it grew …
Growing
All my life I have tried to pluck a thistle and plant a flower wherever the flower would grow in thought and mind. Abraham Lincoln This are flowers that are just starting to hatch…this flower pot has a place of prime real estate right in the middle of the table in the middle of household …