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Posts from the ‘Everyday’ Category

Sep 21

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Feather Light

“Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.” – Saint Francis de Sales

“Where hast thou wandered, gentle gale, to find the perfumes thou dost bring?” – William C. Bryant

“Where hast thou wandered, gentle gale, to find the perfumes thou dost bring?” – William C. Bryant

Soft and gentle;
Strong and supple;
Grounded while reaching for the sky.

Signs of how to live surround us in quiet wandering;
Steeped in the moment;
Grateful for the beauty that is ever-present.

May you walk easy through this world, in grace, fully aware and awake.
Feather light.

“A gentle heart is tied with an easy thread.” – George Herbert

Sep 18

Ease Into Today

“On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty. Today is such a day.” – Rumi

In sailing terms, ease means to let the sails out. Trim means to pull the sails in. Depart the dock of your mind and ease into today. Every day is new and awaits our fullness of presence in all that it offers. One day at a time. That is all that is asked of us. Let the sails out.

“Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn, a cool breeze in summer, snow in winter. If your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life.” – Wu Men

“Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn, a cool breeze in summer, snow in winter. If your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life.” – Wu Men

Sep 11

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Crisp

“Clarity affords focus.” – Thomas Leonard

“Clarity affords focus.” – Thomas Leonard

“Simplicity, clarity, singleness: These are the attributes that give our lives power and vividness and joy as they are also the marks of great art. They seem to be the purpose of God for his whole creation.” – Richard Holloway

As crisp as a Fall morning, may you be acutely aware of , , ,

the beauty that surrounds you;
the peace that can only come from God;
the voice deep within that invites you to unfold;
the longing in your soul to be more, not do more;
the steady pull that slows you down while moving you forward;
the call that quietly brings you back to center of what’s true;
the hope and joy that remain steady amidst difficulty;
the brevity of this life that reminds us to let go of the minuscule;
the beating of the hearts of those who are on this journey too:
the laughter of the child that is your own;
the delight that’s hiding in plain sight to be captured daily.

May gratitude lure you back again and again to all that is in this very moment.
Crisp and clear, freely enter the mystery and gift of each day.

Aug 3

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Pink Clouds

“The more aware of your intentions and your experiences you become, the more you will be able to connect the two, and the more you will be able to create the experiences of your life consciously. This is the development of mastery. It is the creation of authentic power.” – Gary Zukav

“Not a breath of air stirred over the free and open prairie; the clouds were like light piles of cotton; and where the blue sky was visible, it wore a hazy and languid aspect.” – Francis Parkman

“Not a breath of air stirred over the free and open prairie; the clouds were like light piles of cotton; and where the blue sky was visible, it wore a hazy and languid aspect.” – Francis Parkman

We often think what will this day bring? Flip it.
What will I bring to this day?
With intention, forethought and action, bring light that transforms the room, delight that only laughter can draw, softness that makes no sense considering the burdens we bear.

Be like a weightless cloud floating in the sky with depth, texture, character, light, anchored by letting go.

Don’t wait for others to go first. Go first, cut in line. Open and unfold to the promise of what we long for yet often do not dare, as we wait for it to happen. Make it happen.

Radically bring to this day your very best. Pink clouds filled with love, light, kindness and joy.

Jul 26

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Available Now

“The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

“The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

“God changes appearances every second. Blessed is the one who can recognize God in all God’s disguises. One moment God is a glass of fresh water, the next, your son bouncing on your knees, or an enchanting woman or perhaps merely a morning walk.” – Nikos Kazantzakis

May you see the depth, beauty and dimension of each moment today and in the gift of each day that follows. Grace and gratitude.

Jun 28

the grace of sensibility

“Appreciation is the grace of sensibility, of really experiencing every moment for its uniqueness and its awe. It is what enables a person to stand on a street corner, arms out wide, head up, smiling the smile of the holy and giving thanks for the depth of every moment of it. It is the posture of the heart that says life is good, I am blessed, the universe is friendly, the world is beautiful.” – Joan Chittister, Between the Dark and the Daylight

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” – Denis Waitley

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” – Denis Waitley

May you see beauty in each petal, each smile, each glance, each touch, each moment. To be open to all that IS to be discovered and savored in the everyday-ness of life. When we recognize and realize that this moment, this hour, this day our life is unfolding, there is a yearning, a calling to be ever-present and awake.

May your mind, heart, spirit and soul be full today and each day by the grace of sensibility.

May 29

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Good Therapy

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” – William Arthur Ward

Whether on vacation or amidst everyday life, find your therapy – that which brings solace and guides you back to your center, focused on the present with a fullness of gratitude.

Five days in New York with my best friend from college was good therapy this week. While New York is fast-paced, loud, packed and chaotic, solace was found in conversation, culture and connection right in the middle of it all.

“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” – William Shakespeare

“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” – William Shakespeare

From a Broadway Show to Carnegie Hall to the 911 Memorial and Museum, we soaked in the sights, sounds and time together creating new memories. One of my favorite places in New York was the Highline Park – an old railroad line above the city that was converted into a beautiful 1.5 mile walking park 30 feet above street level. Flowers and benches dispersed between old tracks that used to carry commerce back in the day. Instead of discarding or destroying it, they transformed it into a place of transformation and beauty. Good therapy.

Yesterday after her vet appointment, I brought Lily over to visit Mom at transitional care where she’s healing from a hip replacement. When I got there, Mom was in physical therapy so I walked Lily over to say “hi.” The patients’ eyes lit up and Lily got herself right in the middle of the action. Like she does for me every day, Lily brought a little delight and broke up the day for a few sweet souls. The therapist told me today that they talked about Lily’s visit the rest of the day. Good therapy.

True joy and delight is not far off hidden in someday or when conditions are suddenly perfect or only on vacation. It is present for us each day when we are present and open. When you find it, share it with others so they can join in as well. Good therapy.

May 21

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Fill’er Up

“The compulsive need to amass things may be nothing more than a signal of the emptiness of our souls. To work hard, to play well, to enjoy life, to give to others, and to be satisfied with what we may be the only criteria we need to know whether or not we have really succeeded in life.” – Joan Chittister, Essential Writings

No shortcuts, no secrets, nothing really complicated. Go partake in some soul filling each day. Be grateful, go easy, open up. Work, play, enjoy and give.

May 16

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Restored

“Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.” – Hippocrates

“Not in achievement, but in endurance, of the human soul, does it show its divine grandeur and its alliance with the infinite.” – Edwin Hubbel Chapin

“Not in achievement, but in endurance, of the human soul, does it show its divine grandeur and its alliance with the infinite.” – Edwin Hubbel Chapin

It looks like a resort but it’s actually Woodwinds Hospital in Woodbury, Minnesota. Mom’s hip replacement that’s been up and down, left and right finally happened yesterday. When her leg turned purple on Wednesday night, we got her to the hospital where the x-ray and CT scan indicated that the hip was broken. Who knows how long she’s been walking around in sheer pain with a broken hip. A new hip “installed” yesterday. The healing, the restoration begins.

On Thursday, a nurse came in and offered a hand massage to relax her. She spent 20 minutes rubbing oil on her hands and arms in gentle conversation. Healing. While piano music plays in the background, the windows feature a beautiful view of the trees, a walking path and labyrinth. Healing.

Nature, music, art, faith, patience and kindness all promote and propel healing. And we need not wait to land in the hospital to start and foster the healing within ourselves and with others aound us. For when we heal, we move further and deeper into our potential – that which we are called to unfold and share with the world.

May 5

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The Gears

“The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.” – Eric Hoffer

When life becomes too mechanical, jam the gears. Constant activity lulls us to sleep, going through the motions, getting by and through, drifting along, spinning our wheels and going nowhere. Wake up. Your life is calling and it would like you to fully participate, to be in the game.

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” – Meister Eckhart

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” – Meister Eckhart

Awaken all of your senses to see, taste, feel the beauty and simplicity of this very moment, the depth and meaning, no strings attached. The garden of our life blooms with awareness and gratitude. From struggle to struggle, challenge to challenge, life is happening whether we recognize it or not.

Plant seeds of kindness, leave a trail of joy. Breathe in the lilacs bursting with color and fragrance. Allow the awe of the sun dancing through the clouds to get through to your soul. Wonder and delight is all around us. Look up.

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