Navigating the unknown river
I used to do a lot of canoeing. In the early 1970’s and into the 1980’s my husband and I would pack up our Volkswagen camper, strap our Old Town Canoe on the top, and head up to the pristine … Continued
Silviculture for the Soul
Some time ago, on a point of land that juts into the vast blue horizon of Lake Superior’s south shore, I gathered with my neighbors to discuss the idea of saving an 80 acre piece of land that was being … Continued
Middle Age as our Teacher
Somewhere along the path of sociological history we have conceptualized the idea of middle age. I used to think it was old; as if middle age were the end of something that I would never want to end… youth, … Continued
Not Knowing
Oh how we all would like to know. Everything. We want to know how it will all turn out, what the weather will be like for our family picnic, will our child get well, where will I live, or what … Continued
If I Could Do It All Over Again
If I could do it all over again, I would be more mindful that I’ll never be able to do it all over again. I would be more aware that NOW is the time. There is no other moment in … Continued
Dreaming in Spanish: When the language of loss becomes familar
I had a dream in which I was actually living my life, and my husband, now deceased, wasn’t there in my dreams. This was new. I was beginning to live and dream in the language of this new reality in which I now … Continued
Abracadabra!
“Abracadabra!” That three year old face with the tangled blond hair smiled in powerful anticipation of the magic that might fountain out of her wooden dowel magic wand as Lucy pointed it in my direction. “You have now been turned into … Continued
Considering the Butterfly
The often used metaphor of the beautiful butterfly emerging from the uninteresting and rather plain cocoon has never ceased to inspire me, no matter how often I have considered it. Not long ago I watched a PBS special on the … Continued