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Point of view
“If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view — until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” ~Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird Folks who lack empathy view everything solely from their own perspective, putting their own needs and desires first. They hear only what they want to hear. They don’t seem to care if their actions are hurtful or offensive. They believe their personal opinions and biases are the universal truth — and can’t understand why others are often at…
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Creative cycles
“For a seed to achieve its greatest expression, it must come completely undone. The shell cracks. Its insides come out and everything changes. To someone who doesn’t understand growth, it would look like complete destruction.” ~Cynthia Occelli Nature often reminds us that growth and creativity are preceded by change or “complete destruction.” This is especially true in the fall. Here in the Midwest, some of our trees are just starting to drop their leaves and seeds, and soon will stage a brilliant color show before shedding completely. With that in mind, I’ve found that the best way through a creative block — or any sort of problem — is to…
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The real scary stuff
“I’m not afraid of werewolves or vampires or haunted hotels. I’m afraid of what human beings do to other real human beings.” ~Walter Jon Williams Spooky season is here. Driving through our neighborhood this week, I’ve noticed block after block of homes decked out with creative Halloween decorations. I get a little thrill every time I spot a porch aglow with orange and purple lights or a family of skeletons gathered on someone’s front lawn. In my email, I’m getting long lists of scary movies to watch. Psychologists suggest that ghost stories and horror films can empower us to face our fears and anxiety while we battle our own demons.…
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Meeting grace
“I do not understand the mystery of grace — only that it meets us where we are and does not leave us where it found us.” ~Anne Lamott After I shared a post about preparing for a biopsy on Friday, several of you emailed to offer words of support and encouragement. One of those messages arrived when I was in the waiting room prior to the procedure, lifting my spirits and boosting my courage. In Friday’s post, I shared a quote I’d found on a teabag, which read, “The unknown is where all outcomes are possible; enter it with grace.” On the morning of the biopsy, I found myself repeating…
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Embracing the unknown
“The unknown is where all outcomes are possible; enter it with grace.” ~Message on a Yogi teabag Later this morning, I’ll undergo a biopsy that was scheduled a few weeks ago and has been hanging over my head like an invisible question mark. At this point, I don’t know when the results will come back. Waiting is the hardest part. Most of us struggle with the unknown. The unknown is the gray area; a shadow of uncertainly; a blinking yellow light. The unknown leaves us at a crossroads without a map, and looms larger in an overactive imagination. Of course, life is jam-packed with uncertainties, large and small. Today’s quote…
