We need stories to stay alive
A businessman walks the airport concourse, on his way to baggage claim. His flight is late in arriving, and his mood is melancholy. This is the end of a long business trip; his energy spent and his emotions raw. If…
The gift of making space
Even if you have made other plans for your day or week, jet lag from an overseas flight does a number, and your body tells you to “chill out”. As in, the list you made, can wait.Which is perfect advice…
The healing gift of Grace
Two men visiting Hong Kong, noticed the ubiquity of street vendors, all pushing their carts along, pell-mell, in and out of traffic. Attempting to gain the attention of any potential customer, the vendors would shout repeatedly, "Sale! Sale! Good items…
I choose to be a witness
“The world feels heavy and I’m not sure my heart can hold it all,” she writes to me in an email, “Please, tell me how to hold it all?”In other words, in our fragile and broken world, how do we…
You Matter
Have you ever heard of Buddy Ball? Beth Campbell started the program in 1994, in Bellevue, Washington. Because of his disabilities, Beth's son Stevie, age 7, was unable to play in the regular t-ball program. So, Beth started a baseball…
Graciousness is real
“Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe…
Hear your own music
On Saturday, I relished a restorative-reset-button day. I wandered streets in Port Townsend, WA—vibrant and gladdened by the outdoor markets. Urban Craft Uprising—all local artisans with handmade crafts, wood, clay, glass, jewelry, fabric, painting. And yes, food. And music. All…
I choose compassion
In our world today—the news, the distractions, and the disasters—can feel like “bombs” that overwhelm our spirit, and our energy. For many, a sadness permeates. It is no surprise many feel exhausted, or smothered, or speechless, or disorientated. Or lost.And…
Look for the helpers
An invigorated group of retreatants gathered at the Mary and Joseph Retreat Center. And I am very grateful to have absorbed a weekend’s worth of nourishing energy. Our topic? “What your heart would Love to say: lessons I learned on…
Human world of helping
Always try to leave people better than you found them.Hug the hurt. Kiss the broken. Befriend the lost. Love the lonely.I want to live in that kind of world.But this is my confession: some days (well, too many days), I…