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Homecoming
I drove through town today, a drive that I have probably done thousands of times in the last 27 years, in all kinds of weather. Today’s ride was beautiful, with trees putting on a spectacular and colorful show. New England knows how to dress for fall, no doubt. I drove slowly, leisurely, taking in the colors against the grey autumn sky. As I looked at various buildings and corners of our small town, I found myself going down memory lane. A lot has changed in the last 27 years. Places that I used to love and frequent, alone and with the girls when they were growing up, are not here anymore.…
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After the Storm
I love fresh herbs. I think they make just about every dish taste better. In the summer, I grow basil, oregano, parsley, sage, and thyme. When it comes to basil and oregano, the more, the better. Oregano, whose scent and taste always transport me back to my childhood in Greece, grows with abundance. I use it fresh and also dry some to have through the year. I grow basil right outside the kitchen, on the deck, and I keep seeds going throughout the season. We love pesto in this house. I make as much as I can through the summer and always freeze some for winter. If you would like to…
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The Way Through
It was the summer of 1991, and I had just earned my provisional teaching certification. The previous two years had been a whirlwind of activity. I was going to school while working two part-time jobs. Then one day, I got a call from Greece. My mother had to undergo heart surgery. I dropped everything and headed back home. By the time I got back from Greece and completed my coursework, I was mentally and physically exhausted. Neal and I were actively involved with an Ashram in upstate New York. We decided to spend the summer there, volunteering, as we had done many times before. Our goal was to do Seva (service),…
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Life Lessons My Garden Taught Me
My grandfather was a strong presence when I was growing up in Greece. He was retired and a widower, and he lived with us. The man had his faults, but his love for his grandchildren was steady. I used to trail him everywhere, and he was happy to have an adoring, curious, mouthy, skinny little thing follow him around. Trailing him as he went about tending his garden was one of my favorite activities. He was exceedingly proud of his roses, and he would turn and explain what he was doing as he went about the morning duties of a gardener. He moved deliberately, inspecting, pruning, feeding, watering, and stepping back…
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Powering Through
We’re approaching the one-year anniversary of the beginning of quarantine. A year! A challenging and emotional march through four seasons. How have we changed and what have we learned? Where do we go from here? Although we may be sensing the light at the end of this dark tunnel we’ve been walking through, there’s not much clarity as to how or even when this unexpected journey will end. This time of the year lends itself to being inside, reflecting, seeing, evaluating where we are and where we want to be. Given all that has happened this last year, many of us feel anxious about the future. We’re hoping for positive change…
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Endings & New Beginnings
January 2021 began with a bang and an intensity that rocked us. We had hoped for a deep breath of fresh air and a new beginning. We knew that things were not going to change overnight. They didn’t. Instead, January 6th happened. The images, intensity, and sheer scope of the day’s events jolted me and activated memories, emotions, and past experiences that I thought were behind me. If you too experienced an avalanche of emotions or strong memories, please remember it’s normal. Research has shown that traumatic events can trigger this kind of response. Take good care and be extra patient with yourselves. I was grateful when on January 11th, a…
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A Time to Breathe – An Invitation
“To pause is to go on a pilgrimage into ourselves. We discover something new every time.” It’s never been easy being a woman. These days, it’s beyond challenging. Women have become caretakers on overdrive. We’re negotiating profound changes and heightened emotions, along with the logistics of caring for the home, family, our professional lives, and our communities. Our well-being and sanity are being undermined daily. Let’s face it, does self-care even make the list? Where do we start? When do we even get the time to breathe? Yet, here’s another fact. In order to cross the gauntlet of our current reality and make it to the other side, we need to…
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Sacred Space
Your sacred space is where you can find yourself over and over again. Joseph Campbell Lately, I’ve been waking up even earlier than usual. Fall has already made its entrance, and I find that I need more quiet, alone time with myself. It’s dark outside when I make my way downstairs. The light arrives faintly around 6 am. Nature comes alive when we’re going to sleep, and the animals wrap up their activity as the morning light announces itself. The coyotes are having a howling convention in the late evening hours. As I tiptoe around my kitchen in the early morning hours, I catch glimpses of activity I wouldn’t have noticed…
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Paying Attention
Is there anyone among us who doesn’t know by now that we’re being shaken to our core by immense social and global changes? There’s the ever-evolving pandemic, the chaotic political landscape, and the recent, long-due protests that the NY Times is calling “the largest movement in the country’s history, according to interviews with scholars and crowd-counting experts.” Although we all inhabit this world at the same time, our individual experience of the crises are not of the same intensity. Yes, our lives have been disrupted and our rhythms and rituals upended. But then, there’s loss of life, livelihood, and security. There’s a thundering, universal demand for letting go. Letting go of…
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What’s in a Day
A couple of days ago I was listening to Tara Brach as an intro to my morning meditation. In her talk, she referred to RAIN: Cultivating Mindfulness in Difficult Times; a four-step process we can use when we find ourselves in the grip of difficult emotions. When we can’t see the forest for the trees, RAIN can help us cut through the stress and confusion by: Recognizing what is happening. Allowing what is to be. Investigating our experience, gently without judgment. Nurturing what needs to be nurtured, with kindness. As I listened to Tara Brach walking me through the four steps, I found myself at a place of honest recognition and…
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On Self-Compassion
I woke up Monday morning (last Monday that is) feeling energized and ready to go. I had plans for the week ahead. In addition to the usual tasks, I was going to write, reach out to some friends and family members, and begin setting the foundation for new projects. My intentions were good and I had the energy and inspiration to match them. It didn’t exactly go as planned. It’s now a week later. As I sit down to write this, I look back and wonder where the days went. My mood began to deteriorate from the get-go. It was a rainy and cold week. Neal and the girls were frustrated.…
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On Resilience
These days I often catch myself contemplating resilience. I think about it as I observe the variety of responses to the pandemic and the restrictions put in place. Times like these bring out the best and the worst in us. I watch my reaction as the days begin to blend into each other. I find myself reflecting on my years as a child and a teenager in Greece. Memories of my parents, family members, teachers, and neighbors sharing their experiences during World War II are vivid. The aftermath of the war defined my generation after all. I grew up at a time of cultural and political upheaval. I watched people persevere…
