It's been a busy, stressful beginning to 2025 for me, and I was late with my January post, which published just under the wire.

Some of the stress has been really good--we moved to a new home in December that we love and are happy in. And there was a lot to do. Packing and unpacking. Saying goodbye to a home we lived in for 41 years, and a neighborhood we loved. Getting to know and find comfort in our new home, new town and new neighbors. There was, and continues to be, a lot to do.

Plus, some illnesses in my family are pretty much always on my mind these days. And even though I said I was winding down Power & Presence Training, I said yes in recent months to some workshops that have placed me on planes, buses and rental cars in various regions of the U.S. So some travel, and the accompanying stress that comes with it.

And, yes, we live in a world where--it seems to me anyway--a world where many folks would rather fight than listen, try to understand, or move toward solving problems. Just being in our world right now can be stressful.

Seeing With Fresh Eyes

Then I had breakfast with my friend Pam, who always invites me into a world of wonder, and we talked about my move, and she said, "You must be seeing everything with 'fresh eyes'!" ....

Each January, I ask myself what I'm hoping for in the year ahead, what personal conflicts I want to resolve, relationships I want to nurture. And I imagine how the year might unfold.

If you're like me, some energy is probably flowing more freely in this new year, while certain relationships and life situations could benefit from more clarity, more honesty, and more freedom....

I'm sitting at home with a sore throat/coughing/sneezing, old fashioned cold and thinking it would be a good time to wite something. I don't have a lot of energy today and so will just relate here one of my all time favorite quotations. I recite it to myself as often as I can

Listening to my Calm app this morning reminded me of a story I wrote a long time ago, called "Being the Mountain". The mountain image resonates with me because of its  just there-ness. No matter what befalls the mountain, it is there. It stands tall yet rooted, weathering all storms....

Adapted from Unlikely Teachers: Finding the Hidden Gifts in Daily Conflict, by Judy Ringer

Driving home late one night during the first snow of the season, I hit a patch of ice on a slippery bridge and struck the barrier that separates the bridge from the air and the water. I careened off one side of the bridge, slid across three lanes of Interstate 95, and scraped along the barrier on the opposite side. 

Luckily there weren’t any other cars nearby.

As I slid on the frozen surface, my first awareness was fear. Then, as the car connected with the barrier, I was jolted into a powerfully present state of being. What flashed through my mind was: I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m going to be here for it. 

Then, deep calm, peace, and presence....

Walking early on a Sunday morning, I hear music playing loudly down the street. I realize it's coming from a parked car up ahead across from the Public Library. It's about 7:30 am. 

My initial reaction -- Pretty loud for so early on a Sunday in a residential neighborhood. Then I see a young man near the car either placing gear in the back seat or removing it. He's standing near the curb I'm about to walk by....

I'm on a spiritual journey. The church happens to be the boat I'm traveling on.

~William Kent Krueger

I'm recently returned from a silent retreat at the Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, NY, the retreat title: "In Silence with Thomas Merton", with Brother Ephrem Arcement, OHC. It was wonderful, On many levels....

Today I'm reprinting a post from the United Church of Christ's Daily Devotional written April 2024 by Mary Luti. Mary is one of my favorite UCC writers, and her story made me reflect on how the sacred can surprise us at any moment; also, on the beauty of nature, and, finally, on my sometimes quick-to-judge mindset.

Mary is a pastor and educator, and I have reprinted her post in its entirety, including the title and the Biblical passage that inspired her to write it....

How often do I revisit what I teach? Almost every day.

When the difficult, courageous, crucial, purposeful or just plain hard-to-hold conversation is imminent, I get out my "Checklist", tips, and resources. I call supportive friends and get to work on myself--looking inward to see what makes "this" one different, challenging, and off-putting.

I know I'm not the only one who's tentative about these conversations. In fact, most recently I've noticed a plethora of articles on the subject, which all pretty much say the same thing.

I'm revisiting the topic today with a few of the most common coaching suggestions....

I had the good fortune recently to be reminded of Amanda Gorman's poem, "The Hill We Climb". At 22, Gorman was the youngest person ever to deliver a poem at a U.S. presidential inauguration as Joe Biden amd Kamala Harris were sworn in as President and Vice President. 

These are tumultuous times, and we/I -- I'll speak for myself -- have days when I fear for my country's future and it's ability to recover from innumerable onslaughts, both internal and external.

"The Hill We Climb" brought hope today, and I share it here. If you like, you can watch again the Amanda Gorman's beautiful delivery on the Library of Congress website....