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Travel and adventure
“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson Now that summer is here, our thoughts turn to road trips and other vacation plans. When I was editor of a country inn travel magazine, I had many opportunities to visit historic sites across this country. And when our son was in his early teens, Doug and I took him on trips to the British Isles and Mediterranean countries. Travel teaches us a lot about ourselves — as well as the world around us. I often discovered that the places I enjoyed most were the charming…
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What is integrity?
“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” ~C.S. Lewis There’s so much turmoil and corruption in the world, which partly explains why I’ve been obsessed with the word integrity. What does it really mean — and does anyone really care anymore? Here’s how Merriam-Webster defines it: 1 : firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : incorruptibility. 2 : an unimpaired condition : soundness. 3 : the quality or state of being complete or undivided : completeness. Integrity isn’t always easy or comfortable. Every day, I search for examples of it in politics, in my community, and among my friends and family. People…
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Put it on pause
“If nothing’s working for you, if you feel as though you’re pushing forward against the grain, the most productive and proactive thing you can do is nothing. Nature is turning you inward, to gain power through peace, rather than outward to gain power through activity.” ~Martha Beck Sometimes I feel ashamed if I’m not being productive, even on a vacation. Even if I’m only spinning my wheels, I want to believe I’m accomplishing something. This is a cultural norm. But as Martha Beck points out, there are times when we need to put everything on pause. Later, we’ll return to our daily routines with a sense of renewal and fresh ideas.…
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Your own footsteps
“It’s not your job to curb or contain yourself in order to become someone else’s idea of a worthwhile human being. You are amazingly worthwhile and capable right now. Not because other people think you are, but because you are in full control of the next step you take.” ~Marc and Angel Chernoff It’s tempting to follow the footsteps of others we admire. And while it’s easier to build a career, imitate a brand, or adopt a lifestyle that someone else has designed, it’s a lot more satisfying in the long run to create your own. At first it might feel scary to set yourself apart from others. But the…
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What we remember
“Memory fades, memory adjusts, memory conforms to what we think we remember.” ~Joan Didion When you repeat an old story at a family gathering, your parent or another relative might say, That’s not exactly how it happened. In my memoir workshops, we spend a fair amount of time discussing how memories are altered over time. Quite often, our recollection of an event is different from someone else’s, especially if the story involves a perpetrator and a victim. This applies to humorous stories as well as tragic ones. Retrospect isn’t always reliable. It all boils down to these questions: What’s the emotional truth of your memory? Why is this particular story…
