Co-creating the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible requires deep presence. How can we hold space for—BE PRESENT in—the difficult conversations that gather seemingly dualistic opinions to illuminate common ground? This humorous, challenging, July of 2017, TED talk, “How our friendship survives our opposing politics,” highlights beautiful examples of how we—relationships intact—might: move…
I am not currently in a time of leaving. But I have been there. (Haven’t we all?) Ten years ago, I walked away from my life in Chicago. After 15 years in the city, my husband and I packed up our belongings, said goodbye to the friends who had become our family and moved to…
“As though the river were a floor, we position our table and chairs upon it, eat, and have conversation. As it moves along, we notice—as calmly as though dining room paintings were being replaced— the changing scenes along the shore. We do know, we do know this is the Niagara River, but it is hard…
Walk the trail, in the (Prairie)wood and through the wild. Life it seems can sometimes be a stroll, a leap, or a plunge into the anthropocentric pool of our sense of the “unknown.” The result, if pondered, can be a creation of mind structures, complementary or contradictory, working to boil down what is oncoming and…
Something in the glow of late afternoon in the stark winter woods whisks me away to warm fires and years of stories and dreams, memories so potent they transport me to other realms, and friends, friends, friends. Deeply treasured, profound friendships give contour and meaning to life. Whenever I wander through the woods at this…
Peruse news headlines—local, national, international. What do you sense? Division? Exclusion? Inclusion? Violence? Interconnection? Peace? Local? Global? Our hope and prayer; sacred texts Bible, Torah, Quran; liturgical seasons, solstice and equinox rhythms; … continually invite us to metanoia, meaning “a change of heart.” Take heart! Transformation is as close to us as the tip of…
Growing up in West Michigan, I attended a small congregation that is part of the Reformed Church of America. I was blessed to have two incredible pastors—a married couple who put their souls into the church and each of its members. (34 years later, one of them still serves as pastor there.) Some of my…
“Am I working at my regular capacity? No, but am I prioritizing and taking care of the most important tasks? No. But am I at least taking care of myself and my mental health? Also no.” —Elizabeth Teng, on Twitter I laughed aloud as I read this tweet from Elizabeth Teng when my sister sent…
Have you ever read Alice Walker’s book of poetry, The World Will Follow Joy: Turning Madness into Flowers? I remember when I found that book (or maybe the book found me). It was a handful of years ago when the new Cedar Rapids Public Library had just opened. I found my way to the upstairs…
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” —Pierre Teilhard de Chardin It’s easy to set a goal and hard to reach it. Progress toward anything meaningful or worthwhile is fraught with challenge, obstacle and frustration. No one will make it out of this place without…