Archive: 2013

“You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.”
~ Rabindranath Tagore

This morning I woke up thinking about choice. From the moment that I am conscious, it feels that almost every second I am confronted with it. From the moment I decide to get out of bed (or not) …. What prompts me to rise each morning really?

Last year, I happened to read “The Big Book”, looking to understand the addiction of an acquaintance. To an outsider, drinking may seem like a choice. Either you do, or you don’t. Even for myself, having a glass (or two or three) of wine after work, has been a lifelong “choice”. I’ve spent much of this week watching that choice, as I decided to take a break from that habit. Sure enough, at 4:00ish, there is a steady pull, and a struggle that my mind goes through. As long as I feed my mind something – and this week it’s been a club soda or a fruit flavored aqua fresco – mind forgets about the cocktail. It’s been a great practice in mindfulness, because I’m seeing clearly that 90 seconds is about the amount of time that it takes for that “thought bubble” as I like to call it (along with all the associated emotions) to arise and fall. read more

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”
~ John Muir

Hardly a minute goes by these days, without my realizing that life is a river of change and inter-connectedness.   As I watched this beautiful sky, I rubbed my eyes for five seconds to wake up, and in those few seconds, the skies changed from this brilliant red, to a goldenrod yellow. I’m simply amazed by all the factors that are going on behind the scenes to make that happen. read more

“In order to change, we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
~ Unknown

What a beautiful still morning it is here today. But I almost missed it. I’d been awake, but lying in bed for some time before my alarm went off, took up my normal seat, but my mind was elsewhere. Where? I can’t say. Just not “present.”

When I finally realized I was off in la-la land, instead of being in the now, I realized that I am tired. It was a long, hot day yesterday, and it zapped me of my energy. read more

“In our lives, we have two or three opportunities to be a hero, but almost every day, we have the opportunity not to be a coward.”
~ Spanish Proverb

This beautiful red sunrise holds alot of love today. For two friends, and simply for the life we are given each day by the grace of God.

Yesterday morning, I posted a thought out to my Facebook feed …

If you planted hope today in any hopeless heart,
If someone’s burden was lighter because you did your part,
If you caused a laugh that chased some tears away,
If tonight your name is named when someone kneels to pray,
Then your day was well spent. read more

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity, but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.”
~ Thomas Merton, Catholic writer & mystic

My favorite quote. And ah, what another gorgeous summer morning here in the VI. It’s been an interesting couple of days, as I’ve chatted with a few people about our housesitting position.

One friend asked: “What would I do with myself all day??”. Another would continue her on-line work here, with some hopes of getting up from the desk to just go outside and breathe in the ocean air. Many others are interested, but can’t imagine how to take 6 weeks for themselves. Or can’t figure how to get away from their own houses, pets, children, jobs. Or are fearful of what this might bring. read more