Every Day Zen
The longer I live, the less certain I am about anything. I'm not overthrowing the known for the unknown or vice versa, much less seeking balance. Some days are just without bounds. I'm just trying to stay present to the chaos. It seems the only place of worth. Increasingly, the world is dark, where money... Continue Reading →
“The house of cards still stands,” I say to my primary care physician, and only then wonder, “is that an apt metaphor?” She nods her head, as she continues to read my MRI report. I’ve already heard from my neurologist who favors monologue over dialogue. Nor is he one for metaphor or talking about arthritis.... Continue Reading →
Today’s #LongerView considers the wisdom of Seth Godin in “Live With It,” appreciating boundary conditions even when they are regrettable. Somewhat like pick your battles but I take a quick side trip to the Little Big Horn River. Enjoy! As always, I provide the swinging bench. Aim for Even posts offer equanimity a dose at... Continue Reading →
Today’s #LongerView is a look at love, not as it usually appears but perhaps as it exists. Who can ever know what goes on in another life? In this post, I am only an observer and cannot know this relationship; I can only give you “The View from Down the Hall.” As always, I provide... Continue Reading →
Rumi says, “as you start to walk on the way, the way appears.” It is not troll-free nor has it ever been. Trolls have always been available to distract and sow discord. Theirs is not a world of substance but nothing stuns a troll like silence. If there is no reaction, if no one “bites... Continue Reading →
Today’s #LongerView slips through the portal to “The Magic at the End of the Lane,” a favorite place of mine for over a decade. I really cannot think of a better way to mark the giving season than to remember people who give every day. As always, I provide the swinging bench. I hope you enjoy... Continue Reading →
It is a November wind that grounds me, as fall grows into winter, when darkness is greatest but light, in its slivers, wins the year. Increasingly, this is the most challenging time of the year for me. It’s less the darkness and more the coldness that has come to characterize North Florida winters. Ripe for... Continue Reading →
Like most people, I take an occasional break from Facebook and Twitter without having to announce it. I am more observer than participant so my absence is not noticed. People who know actually know me stay in touch. Social media is not an in-the-moment, completely present experience. It’s persona, rather than being present. It’s a... Continue Reading →
Today’s #LongerView, “The Undertow of Thought,” is about bringing the meditative state into every day, rather than escaping into the somewhat seductive and oh-so-subtle mental wandering we do: the what ifs and if only. It’s like an undertow, as we learn to swim with rather than against it. As always, I provide the swinging bench.... Continue Reading →
Chasing after the world brings chaos Allowing it all to come to me brings peace. Zen Gatha* I tire of the chase. My dreams are fraught with places of peace past--roadhouses--where like Blake, I see a world in a grain of sand. I don’t know how else to allow the world. I really don’t. So,... Continue Reading →
Aim For Even: The Daily Dose 