Conversations, Part One: The Gift of a Shortened Future
Conversations with Vern Ho on Life, Leadership, and the Courage to Be Human On illness, family, congruence, and learning to live before it is too late In October of 1995, I sat down with my friend and mentor, Vern Ho, for a long conversation about life, leadership, illness, and the state of our society. Three […]
Departure
I first wrote Departure nearly 30 years ago and have recently returned to refine it. I’m sharing it again here as the opening piece of a new series, The Work of Being Human. For me, it remains a living reflection on what it means to keep crossing into life. Departure A five-year-old boy, suitcase in […]
Meditations on Peace
This moment of calm, a breath inside my chest, stone resting in stream. —– Children of Gaza, where can peace take root for you? Dust covers the ground. —– The heart, a doorway, sometimes only for an instant, opens into light. —– Amid the chaos I do not force peace to come— I wait, and […]
A Practice For Troubled Times
Pause for a moment. Gaze into this scene from nature, and as you gaze upon this scene, notice. Be attentive and aware of the detail, color, and context. Name what you see:A rock sitting in the middle of a creek.Water surrounds the stone in stillness.Forest shadows resting upon the water.Branches covered in green moss. Please […]
Midnight Musings
Sleep tonight is not going well. On such night’s I generally get up and do something. Yoga works, sometimes. Other times I will get up and make coffee and then read or write in my journal. Eventually, fatigue takes over and I’m off to bed. At this early hour today I’m doing some stream of […]
Stepping into a New Future
When I awoke this morning I was reflecting on the current occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon by a group of out of state militants. I was reminded of something I wrote some time ago. Most of us greet the New Year with at least some degree of uncertainty. Predicting where we […]
Moldova and Uganda Part II: A Deeper Listening is Necessary
Moldova update (I will write later on Uganda) The purpose of my trip to Moldova in September and October was to deepen my understanding of the culture and region of Moldova and to assess whether or not there is a future project that could make a sustainable difference. Progress was made in deepening my understanding […]
Dialogue: Curiosity Inspires Hope
From time to time, I would like to share notes from my journals. When possible, I will cite the sources; however, my early readings were not well cited. The best I can do in some instances is to cite whom I quoted and the date of the notes. I came across some notes in my […]
Take a moment
The past is a memory. Draw richly from it… with gratitude. And the future, my you draw forth hope and possibility. Is your past one of beauty and light? No matter how it may appear, you get to choose. It may not be easy. It may take a heart willing to shine the light of […]
From Worry to Peace of Mind
I recall clearly riding my tricycle, as a child, and accidentally riding over a bee. I am not sure how old I was, perhaps four or five. I got off my tricycle, kneeled down on the ground and put my eyes as close as possible to the bee’s little body. I stared with wonder. In […]