Day Sixty-Three of 365 – The Differences Between Grief and Mourning
I’ve been working in the field of loss and grief – both informally and formally – for over 28 years now. I’ve been privileged to walk alongside many mourners of all ages while they work to make sense out of their experience of loss. Dealing with the death of a loved one is one of […]
Day Sixty – One of 365 – One Finger Cannot Lift a Pebble
The Hopi people have a simple proverb that points to the need for collaboration. It says, “One finger cannot lift a pebble.” Sounds simple enough doesn’t it? The meaning is obvious! The application is clear! And yet, the practice is often ignored. How many times do you or I attempt something alone that requires more […]
Day Sixty of 365 – The Nightmare of Another
Finding and living one’s purpose is a topic about which much has been written. Whether the books and/or articles that address the subject are religious, political, ideological, educational or psychological in nature, many times the point appears to be the same. They seek to define purpose by creating a set of expectations and behaviors that tend […]
Day Fifty-Six of 365 – All Hail the “Yoda” Club!
Many of you out there are Star Wars fans. Some are not. Either way, it is likely that you have heard of Yoda. Yoda is the enigmatic character who dispensed wisdom in slightly off kilter sentence structures. One of my favorite lines from the short, green sage is, “Do or Do Not! There is No Try!” […]
Day Fifty-Five of 365 – When In Trouble, Reach!
Many, many years ago (yes, I’m that old…) I heard a presentation that changed my life completely! The title of the presentation was “Living in the Meantimes.” The entire presentation focused on defining Meantimes in two ways and three ways to get through them. I want to offer a thumbnail sketch of the invaluable lessons […]
Day Fifty-Four of 365 – In Death I Am Born
On the surface, the title of this post appears obvious – especially to those whose Faith includes some sort of Eternal afterlife. As is often the case with me, I want to take this proverb in a slightly different direction. I love reading wisdom words from the Hopi people. This particular Hopi proverb caused me […]
Day Forty-Four of 365 – Adolescent Grief Observed
Losing a loved one or friend to death is one of life’s most devastating experiences. When adolescents lose a peer to death, the outcome can be particularly devastating. One of the hallmarks of adolescence is a relative feeling of invincibility. They tend to believe that death cannot touch them personally. When that bubble bursts, adolescents […]
Day Forty-Three of 365 – Those Who Have Sharp Edges
The Skin Horse of Velveteen Rabbit fame, is perhaps one of the wisest beings ever to grace this planet – in the flesh or written word. The wisdom imparted via the conversation created by Marjorie Williams between the Skin Horse and the Velveteen Rabbit is some of the most profound anywhere. The focus of this […]
Day Forty-Two of 365 – Those Who Break Easily
Day forty-two of my 365 day writing challenge finds me continuing with an analysis of the wonderful children’s story, The Velveteen Rabbit by Marjorie Williams. The past two posts have focused on the process and length of time necessary to become Real. To summarize, the process requires “Becoming” and it takes a long time. It does not happen overnight […]
Day Forty-One of 365 – “No Overnight Success Stories!”
Continuing with my commentary on the conversation between the Skin Horse and the Velveteen Rabbit about what it takes to be Real, I point you to another enigmatic phrase from The Velveteen Rabbit by Marjorie Williams. As the two protagonists in the story discuss the finer points of becoming Real, the Rabbit asks, “Does it happen all […]