There are certain writers I read again and again. Their wisdom never grows old, it simply shifts in impact as I flow through the phases of my own life. One of the most revisited is the late Henri Nouwen, arguably one of the greatest spiritual writers of my lifetime. I re-read his beautiful book "Life […]

I have had some very honest conversations with a few dear friends recently. These conversations are game-changers. Not because there is any advice offered. No quick-fix suggestions. No "I used to struggle with the same thing, but then I found a perfect answer" nonsense. Nope. Just deep listening. Gentle curiosity. Simple questions asked only for […]

The hard part Is to find yourself at home with where and what you are And still remain amazed. (John Koethe, "Beyond Belief") We live in a trance so much of the time, don't we? Here, but not here. Restless, never really at home. We carry around a vague sense of unhappiness with who we […]

I have been thinking about this Boris Pasternak quote for weeks now: "When a great moment knocks on the door of your life, its sound is often no louder than the beating of your heart and it is very easy to miss it." (Boris Pasternak - 1890-1960) I have been thinking back on this past […]

So much of life is spent trying to gain acceptance from others - our parents, friends, colleagues, children, even strangers. We all want to be seen, known, and accepted, flaws and all. Too often, acceptance feels elusive. And so we try to achieve it. We fit ourselves into molds that will gain acceptance from one […]

I have a birthday next week. I like birthdays; they mean I have been given the unearned gift of another year on this beautiful, troubled planet full of beautiful, troubled people, including myself. I am always thoughtful as the day approaches and this year I thought I might write myself a little blessing. You are […]