OUR HEARTS CONTENT
For the past 4 or 5 years, I’ve had a weekly practice that culminates with New Year’s Eve. I didn’t come up with it. I read about it somewhere, and it sounded sweet, so I took it on. How it…
TWINKLE LITTLE STARS
Usually I’m much better at getting out ahead of the game. I’m organized, I don’t procrastinate. But this year I left a lot of shopping until the last minute. So I found myself trying to make it to seven different…
SELF ON THE SHELF
We just returned from a lovely trip to San Francisco. I really enjoy being in the city during the holiday season, with everything decorated and tinselly. The weather was wonderful, perfect hoodie temperatures. And we had enough time both to…
CURIOSITY THRILLED THE CAT
Anyone who’s ever had cats, or known cats, understands that their natural curiosity can lead them into trouble. Our little guy, Danny, suffered a pretty serious back or pelvis injury, which he totally brought on himself, about a year ago. …
GOOD GRACES
I had a couple of days this week in which I felt pretty close to overwhelm. I may still be having them. We’ll see. Today’s just beginning. Some of it regards projects and events about which I’m excited but on…
HORN OF PLENTY
I started thinking about that traditional symbol of abundance and Thanksgiving, the horn of plenty. My Dad always made gorgeous centerpieces that featured it, mums & gourds & berried stems pouring out of a wicker cornucopia that he pulled from…
ON A SOURCE WITH NO NAME
When it feels like something’s wrong in our lives or in the world, it’s really easy to get fixated on the “fix.” If something appears to be missing or broken — and, honestly, there’s always something, yes? — it usually…
WHY HALLOW THERE
I don’t use the word “hallow” much. Almost never. I might change that. There’s the familiar idea of hallowed ground, of course, but I don’t believe that I’ve ever described anyplace as such. And I know “hallowéd be Thy name”…
NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP
Maybe I should save this talk for Halloween because I am thinking about one of the scariest things in the world. It makes my palms clammy and my pulse race up into my throat. I’m thinking about REJECTION. Yikes! I…
HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF
My friend Denise shared with me this charming legend about St. Francis of Assisi: The town of Gubbio had a serious problem. An enormous lone wolf was eating the villagers’ sheep. Several people tried to stop it — the shepherd,…