Stain-glass Eyes

Dolphins live in pods, geese in a gaggle, a herd of buffalo and bees in colonies. Humans group in families. We seem to have this instinct embedded deep inside us driving us to seek family. It throbs like the sound of a river pulsating in the spring, full and powerful, pushing its presence against the shore it travels. Do you ever feel the pull?   Amnicon State Park Scores of family celebrations exist around the world. They’ve emerged because of season changes, religious events, family milestones and calendar years. They bring significance to belonging to a group.   I put a lot of holidays on my calendar out of habit. I can’t let go of the thought of some of them, whether I participate or not. They’re loaded with childhood memories and memories of raising my own children. It’s interesting how some songs and food go with certain holidays and bring memories to the forefront.   I think they also create expectations. The “Shoulds” linked to family-time. Maybe it’s going to a r...

I have trouble with the primitive idea we search for our Soulmate. Please imagine with me the thought of a search. We’d have to have a picture of what a Soulmate is or a formula to follow. Or we may have to wait for a sign from a deity. We wouldn’t have freedom to change the criteria over time. If we did it might throw off the magic or sacredness of a perfect match. With society’s pressure we may believe we aren’t capable and need help in this search.   Perhaps society knows the criteria for Soulmate or has a hand in choosing. “Oh, you make such a perfect couple!”   “Don’t they look good together?” “This match is made in heaven!” Consider cultures that still have a mate chosen by elders or parents? Can we expect divine help in our choice? I have loved. I have been with mates that have made me surge in happy. Some have died. They chewed off a chunk of my heart.   Ones who are still alive and not with me are losses. They also have sliced off fragments of my heart. Well…if t...

  Finally,   this white birch is me. Breath alone wasn’t enough to sustain harmony or poise in tree-pose. I Wiggled and I wobbled—- grimaced Over and over. I tipped and toppled. Deep in frustration I harshly judged my inadequacy to stand upright on one leg. Until one insignificant afternoon, I, with my slow, resolved drumbeat of breath. A Heart full of anger at inability, looked for help outside myself. (Pissed at my limited resources to be perfect) More of a search than a look. I saw several birches. Inside a single tall birch stood--surrounded. A fierce wind (with power to draw in a storm) tossed all but the one inside the others. Imagination drew my attention To this strong, firm, unbendable birch. It became me. I stood alone, steady in my endurance. I felt a surge of tree cells spiral up my leg. My breath followed effortlessly. Black and white spirals and lines became etched along my skin. Power and stability. Around and up from the roots. Balance took on a force. Strength...

I just replaced my beloved vehicle. My eagle gave me wingspan and safety for my travels. I was one with it in escape and it was a nest I could come home to and count on. I dremeled it to hell and back. Filled holes, painted, duct-taped and sealed parts to keep rust at bay. It cooperated most of the time. But…eventually the under-frame cracked and I had to let it go. Not just let it go to another owner, either. I had to sell it for parts. I didn’t want a young (or old) family to get into my vehicle and have it fall apart and hurt anyone. It was tempting, for the money…but…I know I did the right thing. Sometimes I have to force myself to follow my heart.   I spent many, many hours formulating what I wanted in a used car. My brother, Tim, suggested looking at Consumer Reports (it was well worth the subscription). You were right, Baby Brother! I researched and researched what I wanted, what I could pay and how I was going to go about finding another vehicle. My daughter Elizabeth said ...

We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.” - J.K. Rowling Have you ever tried to untangle the headphones that come with an iPhone? They have rubbery, stick-to-each-other quality in the wire coating. No matter how nicely I put them away, when I need them they’re all tangled. I’m dumbstruck at how I keep reaching for them. Yesterday when I tried to untangle them before my walk, it made me think of how I do the same thing with some of my old thinking. Old strategies I reach for even when they don’t work for me anymore (or never did). They aren’t useful and cause a lot of stress. I want to share two of them. * SILENCE * I’ve learned this one well…when I want to talk to someone about something they said or did that   has caused me pain or discomfort I let it slide. I clam up. It doesn’t work out issues with another person. Frankly, it’s not very respectful of another to not tell them what has c...

Why would a young person see an advantage in aging if most older people they’re exposed to complain all the time, focus on the past and yank back on their aged ideas like they were snagging and reeling in a huge pike?   Would there be any hope in aging? I’m not talking about physical traces of aging. I’m talking about the possibility we can evolve our opinions, values and dreams over time. Young people need hope, they are deciding what they want for their life, their future. It’s not helpful for them to worry about dilemmas aged people keep putting front-forward. They need space. They need to feel trust in us to keep our act together so the youth have room to create chaos, take risks and gamble on their own future, which means to make inevitable mistakes we all did. I believe wholeheartedly we are not doing youth any favors by giving the impression we float on our merits when we get “older”. It’s difficult, but we need to impress on them each year there is hope. Seeing our open-min...