Novena for Peace 2012 Prayer Ritual

Invitation to pray a Novena for Peace 2012 For the next nine days (or any nine days of your choice in this season of holiness and hopefulness), please join me in setting aside ten minutes of our day to sit quietly reflecting on how we have added to—or disrupted—peace during the previous 24 hours. In our … Read more

Would You Trade 10 Minutes of Your Time for Peace?

Over a decade ago, sparked by my distress over the United States starting two wars in the Middle East, I began inviting friends and family to pray with me a Novena for Peace during the holiday season. Some might—and some have—called this a naïve gesture that won’t make a difference. Given the social unrest at … Read more

Writer’s Block in Graduate School

I’ve recently had the honor of coaching a few graduate students who were struggling with writing their dissertations. They were smart, accomplished students in competitive schools who were completely stalled with major cases of writers block – which I know from personal experience has its origins in fear. In my case, I recognized that procrastination … Read more

Filling the hole with light

My son Bradford has always been one of those wonderful old souls who has always been wise beyond his years. Now just past 30, he has managed one of life’s most emotionally wrenching experiences with grace and calm. And he’s come through it without resentments, no why me, nothing but acceptance of life as it is, in all its … Read more

Willing to Forgive

Forgive Forgiveness is an act of the will An act of self-love in response to anger borne of injustice and hurt Anger turns to resentment which disperses its consuming poison Spreading like a cancer of the soul Consuming every particle of love and hope A survival skill, this act of will Forgiveness is not at first … Read more

Perception, Life, Death

I saw this photo of a quote regarding perception and don’t know the author whose wisdom created it, but kudos to her (or him) for this insight. Perception has been a hot topic for me in 2011-2012, the year of my grief. Though I, like everyone, have experienced many losses large and small none has affected … Read more

Is Fear Making Us Fat?

There is no disputing that as a nation we are becoming more obese each year. The CDC has an interesting graphic showing the dramatic increase in obesity over the last 20 years http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html. Right now, the even healthiest state in the union, Colorado, has an obesity rate of over a 20% with the unhealthiest states … Read more