VAL & FLO SAID
I don’t usually do “cutesy” talks. I mean, clever, absolutely. Maybe occasionally a bit whimsical. I like a good pun as much as the next person, and I LOVE a bad pun. I’ll shamelessly sling ridiculous jokes. And I…
A MILLION MIRACLES
I absolutely love it when things fall into place — when the variables get settled, the questions get answered, and things just click. Who doesn’t crave this feeling, right? We’re wired to experience it — conflict/resolution, discord/harmony, chaos/order. We look…
STAND
My friend Jenna and I were out for happy hour last week, catching up on an array of topics over fancy drinks and tempura avocado. Whenever we get together, we cover a lot of ground, from the sacred to the…
PIECES BE WITH YOU
I read a Washington Post article this week titled “How to Overcome Compassion Fatigue.” Author David DeSteno writes about how taxing it becomes over time to remain awake and aware, the exhaustion of trying to stay informed and to care…
YOU’RE GOOD
Your soul doesn't need saving; it needs to be made visible.Emma Curtis Hopkins Travis and I had a particularly enjoyable visit with my in-laws last week. They’re lovely people, fun and kind, and we are always interested in catching up…
HOW NOW?
Last Sunday, in the reeling aftermath of our country’s latest mass shootings, I admitted that I worry and wonder about the relevance of what we’re doing in spiritual community. Sometimes, I wonder if we’re just trying to make ourselves feel…
STUCK IN THE MIDDLE
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Elie Wiesel This statement is rallying, challenging, and perfect. It’s part of Wiesel’s 1986 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, in which…
KEEP FEELING (FASCINATION)
I’ve gotten a few reminders lately reminding me to “not take things so personally.” Grrr. Rarely do I respond positively to this suggestion, whether someone says it to me or even when it’s something that I’m trying to remind myself.…
ALL THINGS CONSIDERED
Sometimes (I mean often) I’m a geek for etymology. If I get a word stuck in my head, which happens frequently, the way I start gnawing on it from every angle, mining it for every meaning, is almost compulsive. This…
WIGGLE ROOM
I don’t know where I heard this metaphor about grief — that it’s like a ball in a box with a button inside. When loss is fresh and raw, it’s as if the ball and box are nearly the same…