We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey. Kenji Miyazawa Dear Mom, It’s hard to say goodbye. It’s hard for me to believe that you’re actually gone. I still expect to see you enter the room or to hear your voice when the phone rings. Your passing has affected me deeply…more…
I don’t believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive. Joseph Campbell Not long ago I celebrated my birthday, an event made more memorable by my friendly neighbourhood drugstore, which announced that as a “young senior,” I now qualified for a special…
The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it. Thich Nhat Hanh As 2016 draws to a close and a new year approaches, a common refrain I hear from many people is what a lousy year it has been for them individually – illnesses, injuries, relationship woes,…
Even Monkeys Fall from Trees. Japanese Proverb I have a “thing” for monkeys. This fascination (some may call it a mild obsession), began in childhood with a menagerie of stuffed toys and dozens of Curious George books, grew into assorted baubles, key chains, tees and ultimately culminated with a trip to Southeast Asia. While there,…
Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. Rachel Carson What a glorious summer. The season has been remarkably sunny and hot (a gift for those of us weary of long winters), and I’ve returned from trips to the Bruce Peninsula National Park and the…
To be loved means to be recognized as existing. Thich Nhat Hanh Have we become invisible to each other? This thought crossed my mind on a recent visit to a favourite café. As I sipped my tea and nibbled on a pastry, I quietly observed a couple seated nearby. It seemed strange to me that…
Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow. Mark Twain French novelist Victor Hugo famously thwarted procrastination by writing in the nude. As recounted by his wife, Adele Foucher in her memoir, Hugo faced with a looming deadline for his now classic Notre-Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame),…
In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few. Shunryu Suzuki Roshi Patience was never a particular strength of mine. As a child I was fidgety, and as a young woman I was always striving to get my ducks in a row and fixated on the destination rather than…