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Wintering
“Over and over again, we find that winter offers us liminal spaces to inhabit. Yet we still refuse them. The work of the cold season is to learn to welcome them.”~Katherine May, Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times Is there a winter-bound midwesterner who hasn’t toyed with the fantasy of Brian Wilson’s “endless summer” on a sun-drenched beach? And who doesn’t envy the pals who have condos in Florida or Mexico, and manage to escape winter entirely? But hold your mittens. I’m gaining new respect for “wintering” after a friend gave me a copy of Katherine May’s book of essays, Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult…
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Remain calm
“Within you there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat any time.” ~Hermann Hesse Lately, a friend and I often joke that our blood pressure spikes every time we watch the news. Given the unpredictable political changes ahead, not to mention the devastating wildfires in California, it’s a challenge to remain calm while staying informed. The best we can do is to stay centered — especially when we wonder if everything around us is falling apart. “Sanctuary” is one of the most beautiful words in our language. It conjures images of a safe, holy place — a room or a building that offers an escape from…
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What we have
“Appreciate what you have, while you have it, or you’ll learn what it meant to you after you lose it.” ~ Frank Sonnenberg My heart is breaking for the people who lost their homes in the Southern California wildfires. I’m in tears whenever I watch a news spot showing devastated families left with nothing but ashes, memories, and the clothes they were wearing when they had to evacuate. I wish I could do more than donate funds to help them.* What would it be like to lose everything — your home, your entire community — in a fire? As today’s quote warns, there’s so much we take for granted until…
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What you don’t want
“Sometimes knowing what you don’t want is as valuable as what you do.” ~Oprah Winfrey Choices, choices! Whether I’m shopping for a cosmetic product, laundry detergent, or a jar of peanut butter, I’m often overwhelmed by the sheer number of items available. It’s a privilege to have access to a wide selection of goods — but making the right decision can be harder when I’m presented with several things that serve the same purpose or perform the same task. As today’s quote suggests, it’s important to know what you don’t want as well as what you want. Keep it in mind whenever you have to make major life decisions or…
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Small steps vs big leaps
“The smaller the steps we take, the more likely we are to achieve our goals.” ~Martha Beck Starting anything new can be overwhelming, whether you’re launching a new business, cleaning up your diet, trying to lose weight, or writing the story of your life. It’s hard to maintain the discipline and optimism that are required to make changes. As Martha Beck reminds us, small steps are better than big leaps toward progress. If you’re cleaning up your eating habits, for instance, start with just a few healthy changes you can stick with. If you’re learning a new language, master a few words or phrases at a time. If you’re writing…
