“Oh, you’re my best friend…” The lyrics of that song by Queen have been running through my mind lately. Which is a much better choice than what usually cycles and recycles through my monkey mind at times. I heard the song a few days ago, and it caused me to ponder: what if we truly were a best friend to …
Turn, Turn, Turn
A friend mentioned that she was impressed that I could generate thought-provoking articles each week. I replied, “It’s just whatever I’m thinking about at the time.” I don’t believe I was trying to deflect the compliment, because I do write about what I’m struggling with, what I’m learning (or relearning), and/or what I’m noticing about myself and my environment. Lately …
Words & Vulnerability
Hafez (or Hafiz), the 14th century poet said, “The words you speak become the house you live in.” I was reminded a few weeks ago, of how powerful our words (and our actions) can be. I started Thriving Thursday (newsletter/blog) because I wanted to share my thoughts, fears, and ultimately, my learning journey of life. It was (and is) a …
Words – Do They Inspire or Divide?
I attended a poetry reading by Naomi Shihab Nye a few weeks ago and was again happily seduced by the power and rhythm of language. With a few well-chosen words, I can feel my heart constrict with sorrow or expand and soar with hope. When I was in school, the lessons on poetry were painfully dull and focused on form, not …
Darkness and Light
At this time of year, I have two disparate desires, one is to be out observing, sensing the happy energy that is truly in the air, and the other is to go inward, to explore the inner light and shadow that seem available for exploration only in the darkness of winter. The shortened hours of daylight lull me into a semi-somnambulant …
Connecting Through Stories
This week I have been in the company of writers, and I have been reminded repeatedly of the importance and power of sharing our stories. The act of writing in and of itself is healing, and distributing our stories, through publishing, telling, or reading them aloud is an opportunity to state our truth, share our cautionary tales, express difficult emotions, …