The lumpy mashed potatoes that we share. The blurry photos that bring forth stories from long ago. The delayed flights that carry us safely home. The creaky knees that remind us of living. The missing chairs that remind us of loving. For all of the perfections wrapped in imperfections, we give thanks. […]
Yesterday I spent the day on fall chores, which I always leave until just a little too late in the season. Digging up the dahlias, dragging the outdoor furniture into the barn, and raking some giant leaf piles made for a satisfying morning, despite the frost. I was clearing a fallen limb by the roadside […]
During my studies at Divinity School, one of my classes focused on the essential question, what makes a gift? Is it the intention of the giver, the gratitude of the receiver, the nature of the gift itself? To frame our discussion we watched Babette’s Feast, where an extraordinary dinner is prepared for a community […]
The difficulty lies, not in the new ideas, but in escaping from the old ones, which ramify into every corner of our minds. – John Maynard Keynes This week I’ve had the chance to reunite with two of my most beloved communities, one linked to Wellesley College and the other to the […]
“There is something at work in my soul which I do not understand.” – Walton, in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Between the jack o’lanterns and the peanut butter cups and the babies dressed as sharks and the puppies dressed as tacos, there might not be much […]
Several years ago, I came across this quote from Fred Rogers (yes, Mr. Rogers), and have used it as a birthday meditation ever since. From the time you were very little, You’ve had people who have smiled you into smiling, people who have talked you into talking, sung you into singing, loved you into loving. […]
Years ago, a dear friend passed away, completely unexpectedly. The pain was sharp and intense, acute. Weeks and weeks later, on my regular morning commute, a perfectly fine day, someone gently bumped into me on the train and I burst into tears. Time layers into us. The acute slowly fades, but it does not […]
Yesterday I reunited with a dear longtime friend. There were delicious sandwiches and long winding stories and a tiny butternut squash growing in the garden. We spoke of adventures and investment ideas and our loved ones, some near and some far, and when we were through a giant flock of birds flew overhead. Some would […]
Years ago I viewed a small exhibit of empty wooden picture frames at the O’Keeffe museum in Santa Fe, which complemented the exhibit of O’Keeffe paintings with views framed by desert bones. In both cases, the key conclusion was simple and profound: framing matters. I was reminded of those visuals when visiting the amazing Hogpen […]
Once in a while when I’m reading, I find a sentence that demands a pause to let it ring, like the reverberations from a wineglass or a meditation bowl. I’ve just started Sand Talk by Tyson Yunkaporta (thank you for the gift, J!), and these notes are prevalent, so much so that I’m portioning […]