This weekend I was in Phoenix, Arizona to receive my Doctor of Divinity. From my home on the California shoreline to Phoenix I had to cross hundreds of miles of “barren desert.” How easy it is to overlook the beauty of that barrenness, that nothingness. On first glance it is easy to miss the […]
The beauty of nothingness Read More »
Some of us spend quite a bit of energy attempting to not be upset at anyone or anything. I have to ask; why? Harmony is not the absence of discord. I offer the example of western music verses Japanese traditional music. To the western ear Japanese music is simply discordant, not so to those who
The power of being upset Read More »
Throughout our lives we have been guided to live our lives certain ways by others. Our parents, teachers, society, our heroes, are all possible examples of how we think we should live our lives. Your life is your life, no one else can live it, and even more, we can only live our lives the way
Whose life are you living? Read More »
Today is the day set aside to honor those who have given their lives for our country. Please remember that. This is not the day to honor those who survived their service. I mention this because, as with so many other casually thought of holidays, and even casually used phrases, we get them mixed up, and
There is no doubt in my mind you have recognized some “mistake” in your life you have vowed never to repeat, but then, kabam, here it is again, same mistake. You wonder “did I learn nothing the last time? What kind of fool am I for repeating that mistake?” Well, good news, you probably did
Same mistake, different day. Read More »
One of the really great things about living, as I do, in coastal Southern California is the beach. I was watching some surfers the other day as they rode the swells on a perfect morning, and as I watched some life lessons we can all embody became clear. To begin riding the waves the surfers
The zen of surfing Read More »
Popeye, right? We are who we are, we do what we do ,we think the way we think and we like what we like because of every experience we have ever had. Doesn’t matter if we thought of that experience as negative, or positive, doesn’t matter if it was painful or joyful; every experience we
I heard the inspiring Revered Guy Williams speak this weekend. He always gives me food for thought, and this time it was a line he used which seems so perfect as we think about our lives: “Just because you decorate your cell, does not mean you are free.” Now this may not be original to
Decorate your cell Read More »
You are an intelligent, perceptive and forward thinking individual. So why won’t they take your advice? If people would only listen to you, the world would be so much better! The thing is, most other people think of themselves the same way! Even if your idea can revolutionize the world, and the only thing anyone
They are not going to change for you Read More »
I mean the kind of “caught-up” where the events of everyday life become the driving factor in how we experience our days. This is all too easy to do: bills become due, unanticipated expenses pop-up, relationships take uncomfortable turns, weather events, even politics and events far removed from what we know of as our day to
On getting “caught up” Read More »
