Good morning... On Tuesday morning, a friend sent me this quote from Elizabeth Alexander. This Elizabeth Alexander is a poet and essayist, a teacher and playwright who was born in Harlem, New York. Wikipedia explains, "Previously, Alexander was a professor for 15 years at Yale University, where she taught poetry and chaired the African American studies department. In [...]
Good morning... I open up this precious card to read these handwritten words: "Dear Sue, I found these cards at the bottom of the mailing box that your wooden hands came in. I'm sorry they were overlooked! Thank you also for another wonderful semester of learning and loving with you." Similar to the original "surrender" card, which I [...]
Good morning... She emailed me after yesterday's post, It's Okay Not To Be Okay. "Upon waking today, holding tight on the 3rd anniversary of my husband’s death," she wrote, "I read your message with the open hands. Then, lo and behold, Henri Nouwen is telling me to unclench my fists and let love enter. I pray with open [...]
Good morning... I woke to the gift of a beautiful text yesterday. A friend in our Monday afternoon group shared the link to her daughter's telling of their family's grief journey. Listening to her vulnerable story was so life-giving to me, so I asked, "Might I share this link with others?" "Of course," she replied. "Our family has [...]
Good morning... I brought home this interesting page of facts from our therapeutic community group at PAWkids last week. YOU'RE HUMAN It's normal to... ....be sad from time to time for no reason. ...not have everything together. ...feel unsure, confused, or not to know. ...feel ugly some days and cute other days. ...have been unprepared for how things [...]
Good morning... In the guiding light of this Passover full moon, we sift through many layers of experience. Tonight my husband Steve and I shared a decade changing birthday celebration with one of the men who went on our Israel 2023 trip. A few people from our group shared in this special evening. The life-changing experience of traveling [...]
Good morning... In the middle of this Earth Day night, I marvel at the cut flowers dropped off on my doorstep. I am nudged to return to the words a friend recently read aloud to me. Again I am touched. I am moved. My breathing slows and deepens. Might you, too, be touched, be moved to breathe differently? [...]
Good morning... When I wrote the word "tandem" in yesterday's post, my thoughts were drawn back to an inspiring talk given by our dear friend, Beth Jordan. Beth went to heaven on October 11, 2017 after living fully with brain cancer through eight courageous years. (You may want to revisit her obituary.) I vividly remember one special evening [...]
Good morning... After melting down, overwhelmed and discouraged, my friend received this encouragement. "In this life, we are all just walking up the mountain and we can sing as we climb or we can complain about our sore feet, whichever we choose we still gotta do the hike," says the instagram post. "I decided a long time ago, [...]
Good morning... "There is a God" is the song highlighted in yesterday's post, Light In Our Darkness. Listed are many ways the presence of God is made evident among us. After singing about hugging a 100 year old tree, the thrill of horseback riding, looking down at the world from an airplane, watching a flock of birds take [...]
