We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. Maya Angelou There come times in our lives when we all must learn to stand again. While it’s natural to experience these periods as sudden awakenings or out of the blue disruptions, I believe…
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With the new year in full swing, many of us are thinking about how we can improve our lives. Whether you want to volunteer more, change your diet, or cut back on screen time, January provides fertile soil for forming new habits and ditching the old. This year I have some exciting goals in store…
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What do those in their 60s, 70s and beyond know about living a fulfilling life that too often escapes the understanding of younger minds? Hoping to tap into this wealth of wisdom, I surveyed men and women ranging in age from 60 to 83 years. What follows are insights from their joys and sorrows, mistakes…
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I recently read Parker Palmer’s book, Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation, a beautiful meditation on trusting our experience to guide the way to our true calling. Rather than telling your life what you intend to do with it, Palmer suggests, you must “listen for what it intends to do with…
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Soon Mother Nature will reveal her spectacular palette of reds, oranges, golds, and browns while we diligently swap out our shorts and tees for cashmeres and cable knits. Restless children will return to school and shortened daylight hours will signal winter’s approach. Many will give thanks around tables of food as brilliant in color as…
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There are moments when life feels strangely intimate: when you turn on the radio and your favorite song starts to play; when a newborn curls its tiny hand around your finger; when you catch a beautiful sunset on your drive home; when you have just the right amount of change in your purse for a…
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As the first month of the new year nears its end, I find myself thinking about its passage and how I’ve spent it. I think about whom I’ve seen or reached out to and where I’ve been. In some ways, I’ve fallen short of my self-expectations, and in others, I’ve surprised myself with what I’ve…
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During a recent silent meditation, I found myself feeling distracted. As the minutes wore on, I wondered how much time was left and felt restless at the thought of sitting in quiet solitude any longer. To my relief, the familiar bell soon rang signaling the end of the practice. I’ve had this experience during meditation…
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Every week, my pup and I go to visit residents at an assisted living facility. Many of them are hard of hearing and few remember our names. Some recall having had pets of their own, but have trouble filling in the details. Yet their joy is apparent, as Lyla patiently sits in their laps, and…
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