Naked and Unafraid
Just two days before a weeklong trip to Los Angeles, I learned that the housing I had arranged was no longer available. I then began a frenzied search to find a place to stay in one of the most popular tourist areas of California. I booked a room using an online rental service that I…
The Pursuit of Unhappiness*
*No, that’s not a typo. Who would ever pursue UNhappiness?? You would. I would. Everyone we’ve ever known would. Perhaps that doesn’t make a stitch of sense. You’re right. Happiness has a whole lot of caché. It’s the hot thing, the hip thing, the new black. Even His Holiness The Dalai Lama says happiness…
A Love Note… For You
My beloved reader, I know that you’re here because something hurts. I’m here because I’ve also had that hurt. I don’t claim that mine is the same as yours, although it might be, but that in my own journey to heal I’ve discovered so many ways of feeling better that I am committed to sharing.…
Mean, Inside or Out?
“Why are people so mean?” These words came from a young woman during a recent session. Her voice shook. It opened up a door at the base of my belly, releasing a noxious stream of memories: being ignored, betrayed, disregarded, disrespected, abused. I knew the answer. It could roll off my tongue…
Thailand Tales II – Befriending the Dragon (or Better Out Than In)
We are healed of a suffering only by expressing it to the fullest. ~Marcel Proust It wasn’t long after my daughter was born that one of her superpowers was revealed. Her body had the uncanny ability to reject (sometimes violently) what it did not want. This resulted in an enormous number of outfit…
Thailand Tales – Slaying the Dragon
Just after Thanksgiving, I traveled to Thailand. Nearly a year ago, I gladly accepted the invitation to one of my favorite countries on the planet, but as the time approached I found it hard to tear myself away from my loved ones, celebrating my favorite holiday. The journey was long and challenging, an exercise in…
Aaaaah, What a Relief it Is
Worrying is like praying for what you don’t want. ~Unknown I don’t like to worry. It bothers me when I do it. And it really bothers me when other people do it. I realize the futility of worry. I understand that it actually sickens the body. I know that it never leads to…
The Answer to ‘Why Me?’
I belong to many online writer’s groups, but hardly participate in most of them. I decided to do some culling. To streamline (again) what’s coming into my inbox every day and remove myself from the information streams in which the material doesn’t add to my life. I went on one of the sites in question,…
Perspective
Perspective is life changing. It’s in my core beliefs here, and I write about it here and here. That lesson is perhaps one of the most consistent aspects of my life. It reappeared just recently as I sat on a cross country flight in front of a little boy who was having a hard time.…
Suffering – How to Move In, Through and Out
I’ve just emerged from a period of extreme wallowing. Did you notice? Many of you gently commented about the lipstick I smeared on my tear-stained face. I’d been sucked into the quicksand of heartbreak, like the proverbial maiden in distress, unable to do anything but ruminate, complain, and write melancholy letters. Getting my shit together…