In the world of instant gratification, and the immediacy of text messages and email, it is easy in relationships to interpret delay in reply negatively. I wrote this poem when a friend apologized when she did not reply immediately. If our hearts are big enough for the lives of others, we can let them roam and still hold them loved!
Read MoreRecent tragedies from nature, including the devastating storms and the fires across the state of California, and other disasters in the world, show that we are children of the earth and we live at the mercy of weather. What is left when we lose everything? Perhaps the only thing we have, in the end, is our dignity. Have you suffered from potentially devastating circumstances in life? If so, how did it change you? What did it take from you and what did it bring out in you?
Read MoreDo you have the Midas Touch? The Phrygian King Midas' was obsessed with gaining immeasurable wealth. His wish for a golden touch was granted and everything he touched turned to gold. The tale goes on to say that he died of starvation because even his food, and, sadly, his own daughter, were turned to gold by his touch. It is a cautionary tale about our current obsession with personal wealth. This poem, Life At Our Fingertips, celebrates another kind of gold that we can only find by living a soulful life.
Read MoreOne of the greatest difficulties of the modern world is to escape our hurried lives and slow down long enough to expose our mesmerized hearts to life. If we do, we may have a chance to remember why we live and what is precious in life. When do you slow down long enough to feel the pulse of your life? What's left of the wild in you?
Read More"Pause Now" is one of my all-time favorite poems and I have used it in many classes and workshops as a reminder to take time to connect more deeply with ourselves. Do you have a regular practice of pausing? How do you stay centered in a world that is continually pulling us off?
Read MoreWhat if you were an anthropologist of the soul? What would your observation about the life of the soul teach you? What helps your soul to live and thrive?
Read MoreOne of the sad truths of this being human is that we deny and neglect our true sprit. We often need to be hammered down before we relent and let go of the reigns we use to try to control everything. What do you think it takes for us to awaken to our selves and our lives?
Read MoreWe all long to be "seen," to be beheld by another with accepting eyes, by one who "stands in the face of our suffering and still sees our beauty;" and who can "witness our weakness and still see our strength." I don't always achieve it, but I get glimpses of the possibility, especially when teaching and reciting poetry. Every time, I feel the transformative nature of simply being seen and the healing power of an accepting heart.
Read MoreHave you ever felt frustrated pursuing a goal, as if you were beating your head against a wall, and then gotten what you wanted only after you you gave up and let go of the need to get it?
Read MoreI have a habit of keeping a very long to-do list and many items carry over from day to day. This can easily lead to judging myself as lazy. I work in a sheltered enclave, in my little home office, hammering away at....what? The real question is: Does my to-do list lead to what I love?
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