Last week, my husband and I adopted our first puppy.She is a 2-month-old bundle that has completely stolen our hearts (or at least the half our cat doesn’t own). This puppy has been a source of not only joy but also complete exhaustion. She has left us both incredibly sleepy and – let’s face it – grumpy. On Sunday morning, I was up very Read more…
About this time last year, my husband and I purchased our first home, and this spring is the first chance we have had to begin a garden. The repetitive action of raking and shoveling offers the perfect space for meditation and reflection. After a year of being ignored, our garden space had become overgrown and infested. Even the plants that Read more…
Last month, my book club read a fantastic book by Jennifer Egan, titled The Keep. In the book, one of the characters describes “the worm” – this all-encompassing paranoia that distorts your perceptions and feelings. Lately, I’ve been thinking about how I experience this worm. While on a long drive home yesterday, I began reflecting on my past week. For the Read more…
“Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light.” — Albert Schweitzer I came across this quotation on the blog of Brené Brown, a leading researcher on the topics of shame, vulnerability, courage, and whole-heartedness. Although these topics appear separate, they are interrelated in such a deep Read more…
I worry. I’m really good at it. You give me a topic, and I can name a dozen ways to worry about it. Money. Work. Family. Pets. Children. Past mistakes. Worrying is called a lot of things, such as stress, anxiety, butterflies, jitters, and so on. The reality is that worry is everywhere, and I contribute a lot of it. Read more…
