The Dark of the Year and the Dancing Saints

Personal note Sometime shortly after Thanksgiving, my brain seems to go on vacation.  All I can do is wander about, gazing at lights and humming music softly to myself.  There may be wisdom percolating in that brain, but getting in touch with it seems to be very...

Let a smile be your umbrella

November can bring gloomy days, rain, and even snow.  Some people love this autumn weather; others are less enchanted by it.  Add in a few ordinary life mishaps and you can create deep gloom. Here’s how to lift the gloom when you’re suffering from the “grumpies”, a...

The Power of “Yet”

Personal note: As a writer, I believe in the power of words.  Words can heal and bring hope.  They can also destroy hope.  This week’s article is about one little word that can carry a lot of power. The Power of “Yet”   When I had a heart attack a little over...

Why Are You Running, If There’s No Prize?

Personal note: My recent trip to San Francisco left me feeling mellow and creative.  I had to take a deep breath as I stepped back into my ordinary life, and remind myself not to repeat automatic (and stressful) patterns of thought and behavior. One good antidote to...

Do You Know the Difference Between Distraction and Relaxation?

Disasters have filled our daily papers: tornadoes, floods, fires…all of these are examples of stress that comes to us.  We don’t have much choice.   This week I have been thinking about all the areas of life in which we do have choices;  for example, the kinds of...