As a young student in Uganda, one of the many poems we were required to recite was “My Shadow” by Robert Louis Stevenson. It is amazing how effortlessly I recall the singsong manner in which I learned: “I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me, and what can be the use …
Being in the driver’s seat requires both a steady hand and one flexible enough to adjust one’s navigation plan to accommodate the inevitable bumps in the road. The real captain of this vessel dubbed me “Captain Zig Zag” as I battled the waves in an attempt to maintain a ‘straight course’. Even with aircraft, there …
Most of us have run into the phrase that states we must have a “burning desire” for what we want to achieve in life. In another context, we have no problem understanding the word ‘burning”. From the weather many of you have felt over this past week or so, that word holds a literal meaning. …
Are you ever looking from the outside, trying to figure out or reach for something on the inside… or vice versa? Why are we rarely satisfied with what is…how can we ‘be’ with where we are and achieve this “living in the moment” everyone talks about? It may sound like a whimsical dream to some …
I love good, let your hair down, real fun. So, a couple of weekends ago, I was delighted to have an opportunity to speak before some “loverly” ladies of a local Red Hat Society – there was a queen and a duchess, two princesses and a baroness and fairy tales made up by yours truly, …
Is the core that much different from the outside? Is one a reflection or piece of the other? A few weeks back, I enjoyed discussing these questions with my sons. Yemi argued using the onion example: peeling back the layers to discover it is still an onion. I stumbled into using the artichoke as my …
The more you look at some things, the less they seem to make sense. Our youngest son just graduated from high school at TASIS, England – an American International School very near London. I reflect on how much racism and prejudice remains in the educational institutions whose missions strive to treat all students with mutual …
I attended my first red carpet, film premiere night two weeks ago. Except, it was not Hollywood, it was “Nollywood” and I was in Lagos, Nigeria. My friend Diane cites the phrase “open your kimono” which refers to getting to the core of people, places and things. Exposing what is beneath the surface is not …
Last week I shared how we let titles and other ‘descriptive’ words define us — and how they do not reveal who we are as a human ‘being’. Look at this title, one you have seen me place beneath my name every week. In fact, we are all motivational storytellers. We may not be authors, …
You know how you pass something repeatedly and then decide you just must find the underlying story behind it? That is how I felt about ‘Negro Mountain’ in Western Maryland…I knew there had to be a story. It turns out there are two versions – both having to do with battle, heroism ,Native Americans and …
Life’s gusting winds can bring down even the most deeply rooted. In spite of many odds, we are often able to hold on – there is someone or something to catch us and keep us from hitting the ground.The combination of the depths of our own being and faith and the power of those standing …
These mysterious guide stones have intrigued my friend Nancy and me for several years. A couple of weeks ago we decided to go see them for ourselves and, there we were almost eight miles away from a small rural town in Elberton, Georgia. The four huge 19 ft stones prescribe principles for living – some …
Today we filled your kitchen with laughter and your garden with love. I took a picture of the mural above your stove to share a tiny sampling of the vibrant colors and creative ideas you brought to life. We planted pansies and marigolds outside because it was a way to fill the gap and bring …
Literally and metaphorically, dog poop can be quite a problem — so much so, that cities have come up with their own ordinances on just how to ‘handle’ it. We all have to deal with ‘dog poop’ in our lives, at one time or another, whether you have a dog or not! Do we pick …
Poet and philosopher Mark Nepo introduced me to a wonderful poem last weekend – “Breaking Surface”. Through it, I realized again, how long I had been hiding, primarily from others. Why do we not wish to sing whom we really are, choosing to mumble instead? What keeps us in that space Marianne Williamson calls ‘playing …
Given the opportunity, we respond well to deep exploration of who we are. However, we are more accustomed to inquiries about our professions and accomplishments and sometimes discover that we are initially less open to sharing the more personal landscapes within ourselves. This past weekend a group of women and I gathered at “Serenity On …
“Immediately after you stand on the peak of a mountain you step forward and begin to climb a higher mountain which is down below” Kobun Chino I am reading an insightful book entitled “The Answer To How Is Yes” by Peter Block. The title itself speaks volumes. The author says we should identify and commit …
“Once upon a time” – these four words are immediately relaxing, as like magic they encourage us to settle in for story time. I celebrate the fantasies of fairy tales, knights, castles, princes and magical potions – they allow our minds to step into expansive adventure. Our imagination is like a treasure chest: lots of …
Yes, play! When is the last time you played? Have you ever heard that in a 24-hour period it is recommended to spend 8 hours for work (that’s easy!) 8 hours for sleep (hmmm…challenging for many of us) and 8 hours for play (oh really?!) Play…for eight hours…most of us fall very short. I counted …
Our winter season has strong metaphorical parallels to the transition time we call death. Outer life often seems stripped away, leaving us cold, naked and feeling vulnerable. We hibernate – drawn toward the quiet and serenity of inner sanctuaries. Most of our trees appear devoid of all vitality, though their trunks and branches reach out …
