June 30, 2019

Since writing to you last, I have experienced something new for my life that I’ll never forget! It will also inform me for how I might choose my own Life’s path! For two nights, on June 25th and 26th, I held vigil for Colin Tipping, my teacher of Radical Forgiveness, as he lay in transition from his physical to spiritual life.  Reading Colin’s account of embracing his journey with cancer during the past couple of years, invites me to integrate the idea that death is truly a transition, not an end! For someone who has touched me and thousands of others so deeply with his life-changing tools, how could this possibly be an end? read more

June 25th, 2019

Passing along a favorite family treasure

Another leg of my Summer Journey 2019 is complete. I stayed with my middle son, his wife and 3-yr old in Charleston, SC. This morning, I remembered that I had picked up some of my household stuff that my friend Cynthia had been care taking for me in Covington, GA. Turns out that Adam was happy to receive the huge bread bowl that had graced our family kitchen and turned out regular batches of homemade bread. He’s a dough maker too. What a heartwarmer to bequeath family heirlooms in person! The bowl had been made for me as a gift from my mom by Joan Weber, ceramic artist from Dayton, OH. Her work was her spiritual ministry and I always felt that making bread in that bowl was a sacred ceremony. It was inscribed with the words “Oh taste and see the goodness of the Lord Jesus Christ” May its blessings and sacred purpose continue to permeate and nourish all those who eat of its gifts. read more

June 17, 2019

Birthdays always help me review the blessings of being a mom. That’s a perfect time for reflection on what my vision for my son was. While pregnant, I created daily meditations with a music track called “Magical Journey” or some similar title. I can instantly recall the melody if not the correct name. I filled my belly with light and imagined my baby as a peacemaker. I knew my child would be my guide in becoming a generous, compassionate, and courageous person. I was certainly right about that! Here’s a quick list of the ways that showed up: read more

June 15, 2019

Leaving Anza-Borrego Desert State Park at sunrise

Trees frame the Mountain view, Guadalupe Mountains, Texas

Border of trees at the Louisiana welcome center

1,650 miles east of our starting point, our third sunrise greets us with trees! What a contrast to the pink and purple sunrise innour departure from Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in southern California. What a difference in vegetation rain makes! Our Outer Journey has been a marathon of driving on interstate, mostly I-20. We veered off in Dallas, TX for a warm-hearted gathering with one of my nieces just north of Dallas. Seeing her new baby for my first time was worth the two-hour sidetrip! An extra bonus was that her sister with her two “middle-aged” kids and their mom, whom I haven’t seen in 14 years, were also meeting her at a restaurant! I made up a new name for her husband, but quickly realized my mistake and quipped, “Anyone else want a new name? I’m good at making them up!” read more

June 2, 2019

A bold new summer journey is about to begin! Starting with a four-day road and camping trip from our winter home and jobs in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park to San Simeon and Big Sur State Parks, we’ll travel East.

I have two ca-ute grandsons to catch up with, three sons, two daughters-in-law and a mom to visit in Georgia, South Carolina, and Ohio. We’ll also walk some distance on a trail, perhaps the Appalachian Trail in Virginia.

As we travel this year I’ll keep you posted on our Outer Journey. And you know me! I’ll be watching for developments in our Inner Journey too and how the tools of Radical Forgiveness and Forgivenesswalks help me turn troubles into blessings! read more

September 1, 2018

Today’s 15 miles took us through a diverse tour of habitats and popular hiking areas, continuing our mostly eastward “noodling” through the green spaces near Meriden.

We got off from Johnson’s Inn by 8 a.m. and walked through the neighborhood starting on Spruce Brook Road, turning where the blue blazes seemed to guide us into someone’s backyard where men were hovering over a vehicle, talking loudly. We stayed our course, though, and followed the path behind houses, onto another street, then back onto an overgrown road beyond a guardrail. “We’ll go where the blazes lead! I guess this is it!” We remarked. read more