Drawing Hope

The family who lives on the corner is busy with their sidewalk chalk, writing friendly messages and drawing rainbows and smiley faces in pretty pastel colors of yellow, pink, light green, baby blue and lavender. They do this, even with rain in the forecast. As I walk along their sidewalk squares I read: We Are…

Earthening & the Grandeur of God

Earthening & the Grandeur of God Ashes and palm-branches Bookends of Lent Earthening, homing, lengthening, soul-ing Pruning what’s lifeless and spent “Remember Ha-damah (Adam), that you are dust, And unto dust you shall return…” Springtime resurgence Pandemic begone! Deepening, flowing, strengthening, groaning When will we welcome the dawn? “Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is the One who…

Sacred Acts

Every morning I go outside, step into my little backyard, get down on my hands and knees and kiss Mother Earth. I push my forehead into her body, I smell her green, soil sweetness, I thank her for loving me and tell her how much I love her. These past few weeks I find myself taking…

In Love and Loss

Today, as we mourn the loss of so many lives, John O’Donohue’s reflection “For the Dying” might assist us as we courageously hold one another in love and loss. And we also offer this beautiful, recorded blessing “Deep Peace” by Bill Douglas as a source of consolation, inspiration, focus, compassion and love.   For the Dying by…

Shelter in Place

For years, the last few in particular, some of us have been reflecting upon how humanity has placed astounding emphasis on exploring every physical inch of this planet and beyond. Piloted by voracious curiosity, the desire to understand and often exploit has driven us “outward” … ever outward. Hurling our bodies and machines in every…

A Hand as Human Connection

A funny thing happened in my fourth week of obsessive hand washing. The act of washing my hands stopped being an interruption, a chore, a necessary but perfunctory ritual, and became a comfort. Suddenly, washing my hands became self care, massage, healing touch. At a time when I haven’t been in the same room as…

Moments That Shimmer

One of the highlights of my day is walking with the land in my neighborhood forest, at Prairiewoods or both. At this time, I am spending more time with my neighborhood forest, going out twice a day and fully noticing the life and breath of the land. This land is a soul friend and a…

Singing Up the Earth

Why do we make things? Art doesn’t have to be beautiful, but the making of art, no doubt, is an act of beauty. We are called to beauty. “Beauty isn’t all about just nice loveliness, like. Beauty is about more rounded, substantial becoming. So I think beauty, in that sense, is about an emerging fullness,…