“Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is the way of foolishness. Help them instead to find the wonder and the marvel of an ordinary life. Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples and pears. Show them how to cry when pets and people…

“Life isn’t always fair. Some people are born into better environments. Some people have better genetics. Some are in the right place at the right time. If you’re trying to change your life, all of this is irrelevant. All that matters is that you accept where you are, figure out where you want to be,…

“Humanity is like an enormous spider web, so that if you touch it anywhere, you set the whole thing trembling… As we move around this world and as we act with kindness, perhaps, or with indifference, or with hostility, toward the people we meet, we too are setting the great spider web a-tremble. The life…

“What if you wake up some day and you’re 65, or 75, and you never got your memoir or novel written; or you didn’t go swimming in warm pools or oceans all those years because your thighs were jiggly and you had a nice big comfortable tummy. Or you were so strung out on perfectionism…

This week at Chautauqua Institution we heard four wonderful lectures on empathy, all different and thought provoking. Did you know that animals experience empathy? Did you know that Virtual Reality can help us understand what other people experience? Have you thought about the way that setting boundaries in difficult relationships might help you empathize safely?…

“Good humor is a tonic for mind and body. It is the best antidote for anxiety and depression. It is a business asset. It attracts and keeps friends. It lightens human burdens. It is the direct route to serenity and contentment.” -Grenville Kleiser I haven’t laughed so hard since the beginning of the pandemic. This…

  “Some people could be given an entire field of roses and only see the thorns in it. Others could be given only a single weed and only see the wildflower in it. Perception is a key component to gratitude. And gratitude a key component to joy.” -Amy Weatherly   I must confess that as…

“Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. -Henri Nouwen Can you imagine asking these questions at the end of every day — and…

“Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place. -Iain Thomas Tomorrow is my birthday — not…

For everyone who celebrates the 4th of July as Independence Day, I hope you have a safe and meaningful celebration with family and friends.