Events & news
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Remain calm
“Within you there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat any time.” ~Hermann Hesse Lately, a friend and I often joke that our blood pressure spikes every time we watch the news. Given the unpredictable political changes ahead, not to mention the devastating wildfires in California, it’s a challenge to remain calm while staying informed. The best we can do is to stay centered — especially when we wonder if everything around us is falling apart. “Sanctuary” is one of the most beautiful words in our language. It conjures images of a safe, holy place — a room or a building that offers an escape from…
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What we have
“Appreciate what you have, while you have it, or you’ll learn what it meant to you after you lose it.” ~ Frank Sonnenberg My heart is breaking for the people who lost their homes in the Southern California wildfires. I’m in tears whenever I watch a news spot showing devastated families left with nothing but ashes, memories, and the clothes they were wearing when they had to evacuate. I wish I could do more than donate funds to help them.* What would it be like to lose everything — your home, your entire community — in a fire? As today’s quote warns, there’s so much we take for granted until…
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The long road to recovery
“I’m not telling you that recovery is going to be easy; I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it.” – Art Williams First, thank you for your thoughtful texts, emails, and comments of support for Coco and our family. I’ve never received this much mail for any column or post I’ve written. Along with your support, you’ve shared hope-filled stories about your own pets and how they’ve recovered from illness and trauma. It proves that our pets are family, not accessories. When they hurt, we hurt. As promised, today’s post is an update on what’s next for Coco after the accident. Yesterday morning, several veterinarians at the animal hospital consulted…
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Keep your light
This, my dear, is the greatest challengeto being alive.To witness injustice in the world and not allow it to consume our light.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh There’s no way around it but through it. Unless you’re in denial, it’s been a difficult week for everyone. The ongoing post-election analysis isn’t helping nearly half of our wounded country, nor is it mending the broken personal relationships that were damaged by years of nefarious, name-calling politics. As a good friend put it, “Things aren’t going to feel normal for a long time.” But we can’t let fear or despair “consume our light,” as today’s quote suggests. All week, I’ve been talking with loved…
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Be proactive
“It’s better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.” ~Jackie Joyner Kersee, Olympic medalist I’m bracing for what’s going to be the most stressful and polarizing presidential election we’ve witnessed in our lifetime. Though I don’t feel I’ve done enough to support my candidate, I’ve tried to do something, to the best of my ability and resources. I’ve put a sign on my lawn, donated money, and invited an equally motivated group of neighbors to write postcards and letters at my dining room table. I’ve read and shared informative articles from reputable, respected sources with friends around the country, who’ve shared theirs with me, in turn.…
