Monday, December 31, 2018

A reverence for life


Even the simplest things —
the white fish swimming in her tank —
awaken in us a reverence for life;
for its astonishing resilience, complexity, and beauty...

Sunday, December 30, 2018

Humble gifts


It’s not about the value
of the gifts we bring the world,
But rather the humility
with which we offer them.

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Seek the light


In these dark days of winter,
our job is simply to seek and reflect the light.

Friday, December 28, 2018

Simple traditions


For 26 years now, the star our daughter made in preschool
has topped our Christmas tree.
Like Christmas, and the holidays, it always makes me smile:
simple traditions are the best!

Thursday, December 27, 2018

Bracing for the storm


Facing into the new year,
not knowing what’s to come,
we drop anchor and brace ourselves
as best we can for the inevitable storms.

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

What matters more than achieving your dreams


It’s important to have dreams, but I’m
no longer convinced that it’s a failure
if we don’t reach our objectives.
It’s what we see and learn as we press
forward to achieve them that truly matters.

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Merry Christmas!


As Christmas Day dawns, clear and bright,
we find, rising within us like the sun,
a fervent wish for peace, and hope, and health
for all with whom we share this precious life.

Monday, December 24, 2018

The best present


A spirit of welcome and acceptance
Is truly the best present you can give.
(Sculpture by Anita Feng)

Sunday, December 23, 2018

Calm at the center


As the craziness of the holidays reaches its peak,
may you continue to find the bright calm
at the center of the storm...

Saturday, December 22, 2018

What lies beneath


Don’t be fooled by surface impressions—
There might be something surprisingly different
Lurking just beneath...

Friday, December 21, 2018

Seeking the holy


Having seen the great light,
We follow the star
In hopes of discovering yet again
The holy that lies resting in the ordinary.

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Staying engaged


Just because it’s cold outside
Doesn’t mean you stop outdoor activity.
What will you do today
To stay engaged with Mother Nature?

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

What flows through you


There’s a gift that flows through each of us.
Be still, and listen:
What is it that you’re meant to bring
into the world today?

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Obstacles as opportunities


Do not be daunted by the obstacles
Thrown into your path.
Think of them as opportunities
To test your mettle and learn new skills.

Monday, December 17, 2018

May the sky keep us humble


Look up, and let the vast, evolving,
Magnificent immensity of sky
Keep us ever humble
And filled with gratitude.

Sunday, December 16, 2018

Invitation to wholeness


The world lies waiting before you,
an open invitation to wholeness and completion.

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Triumph of the Light



Know this: no matter what threatens
to overwhelm you,
your innermost light will triumph over all,
its power fed by the one eternal Source.

Friday, December 14, 2018

Awash in joy


In this holiday season,
may you be awash with a tide of joy...

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Signs of hope


In the midst of death
There are always seeds of new life...

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Holy Ordinary


Through the filter of the trees
Drink in the colors of the sky
And be thankful for the wholly ordinary.

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Aging beautifully


What Shakespeare said of Cleopatra
Is true of Mother Nature, too:
Age cannot wither her,
Nor custom stale her infinite variety.

Monday, December 10, 2018

Appreciate the light


The holidays go by so fast...
Make time to appreciate the beauty and the light.

Sunday, December 9, 2018

Use your gifts


It’s not enough to simply have a gift.
You really need to take it out and use it,
Or it’ll just get rusty and freeze up...

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Treasuring community


Treasure those moments
When we gather in community
And share a meal together...

Friday, December 7, 2018

No need to be perfect


Just a reminder:
You don’t have to be totally tidy or clean,
Unblemished, in the prime of youth,
Or perfect in any way: you are still beautiful.

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Sharing the pond


We may be going different directions,
But never forget that we share the same pond:
Whatever you dump here affects us both.

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

The enchantment of mystery


Be not afraid, but curious
about our differences:
A little bit of mystery adds enchantment
to the forest that we share.

Monday, December 3, 2018

We are community


However you move forward in this world —
Whether sails or paddles, motor or oars —
Together we make up a community:
Let’s coexist in peace and mutual respect.

Sunday, December 2, 2018

Look up from Now


Find a moment to look up from the Now:
From the mending and the bills;
From to-dos and complications,
And appreciate the beauty of the day...

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Break the chains of expectation


Breathe in divine acceptance: let your chest expand
And break the chains of others’ expectations,
Lest you pass those binding agents on
To stunt the growth of those whose lives you touch.

Friday, November 30, 2018

Awash in awe


I stand, awash in awe,
filled with admiration for the beauty of this world;
grateful for the fragile ties that bind us, friend to friend,
heart to heart and each to each.

Thursday, November 29, 2018

What is true?


How do we detect what is true and what is not?
How will we know if what we see is truly real
Or just projection? Light and truth take many forms:
We can’t assume we always have the answers.

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Adventures in creativity


Creativity is not about tidiness and perfection.
It’s an invitation to change your perspective;
To explore and to experience; to risk,
and to adventure; to rise above the ordinary.

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Choices


There is a path that has opened up before you
(But it’s steep, and I’m not sure where it ends)
Will you say yes, or remain here, crying “but...”;
Venture out, or find a way to get
more comfortable with where you are?

Monday, November 26, 2018

Welcoming change


Don’t think of change as a scary monster!
Think of it as a challenge to creativity:
What can you do embrace the inevitable,
Help make it palatable, and welcome its gifts?

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Resistance to change


Perhaps our most challenging test of skill
Is fighting our own inner child’s
Resistance to change; her determination
To seek solace in unhealthy habits.

Saturday, November 24, 2018

You don't have to be a star


Take a lesson from the moon:
You needn’t be a star to be a beacon of hope.
Simply reflect whatever goodness and light
You experience back into the world...

Friday, November 23, 2018

Working together


Working together helps build community.
How will you help your friend or neighbor today?

Thursday, November 22, 2018

In Gratitude...


I’m thankful today for family and friends,
For the grace, beauty, and bounty of this world,
And all the events and circumstances —
Whether pleasant or uncomfortable —
That have helped me to grow over the years.

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

In flight reflections


For all who are in flight today —
Either to or from the holidays —
May you find at least a moment
For some peaceful reflection.

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Each passing thought a shadow


Each passing thought, a shadow,
Casts its beam of hope upon our hearts
And then moves on, leaving behind
Faint memories of love or loss once known...

Monday, November 19, 2018

What story will you choose?


It’s your life, and it’s your story: you can choose
how to present it to yourself and to the world.
Is it a positive evolution or a series of setbacks
You can’t seem to forget or to forgive?

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Let your heart soar


Today’s a good day to release yourself;
To set aside, if only for a moment,
All the cares that weigh you down.
Breathe deep, and let your heart soar on the breeze.

Saturday, November 17, 2018

We are all connected


The truth is this: that we are all connected,
And any time we sever those connections
All of us become more vulnerable,
And our capacity for growth is endangered.

Friday, November 16, 2018

Prepared for change


What is it that we know about this journey?
Just when we think the end’s in sight,
We find it takes another turn,
Toward some new destination.
Always be prepared for change...

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Being an artist


Being an artist is not about what we produce.
It’s about showing up to the canvas, the page,
the instrument, the stage;
about making time to participate
in the cosmic (or if you prefer, divine) creative process.

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Seeking the center


Circling round, and circling round,
And circling round again:
When will I ever reach that center point,
That stillness?

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Upon the ring of earth


The mountain, set in stone upon the ring of earth:
a promise of engagement.
The sky puts on her wedding clothes
And dances her delight in sparkling slippers.

Monday, November 12, 2018

Step into the light


Come sit with me; step through into the light.
Together we’ll escape the dark,
Find shelter, peace, comfort, and hope,
And satisfy our thirst for the Divine.

Sunday, November 11, 2018

For all the broken and burned


Pray today for all that is broken and burned
In the world and in our own souls;
That what fragility has been exposed
May find its way to healing.