When I initially meet with a real estate agent to explain what I’m looking for, s/he usually asks the expected questions — size of the home, general features, locations and, of course, budget. Two years ago I met with an agent in Portugal to talk about property and she asked a question that I have …
Is it wrong to say I’m resurrecting a year-old blog poster for Easter? Many faith traditions celebrate significant observances this time of year. Even if none of them is part of your annual tradition, you can still observe bud break and the early bulbs coming up in the garden, and take a moment to ponder …
You want change. But are you prepared to change? Our intimate book club will explore this question as we read and discuss Immunity to Change, written by psychologists Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey. We will declare our commitments, but we will also face a reckoning with our competing commitments that keep us from the goals we have set for ourselves. …
In literature, an unreliable narrator is one who is compromised. He or she is either deliberately deceptive or unintentionally misguided, forcing the reader to question the credibility of the storyteller. Either from ignorance or self-interest, this narrator speaks with a bias, makes mistakes, or even lies. We all have our internal narrator, the persona or voice that processes …
We were put in this world to love … our neighbors. Everything else passes away, only this remains. The tragedy we are experiencing summons us to take seriously the things that are serious, and not to be caught up in those that matter less; to rediscover that life is of no use if not used to …
My biggest question over the last week has been, “How might I contribute at this time?” The term “CARE package” originated in 1945, when millions of Europeans were at risk of starvation in the aftermath of World War II. It has since become a generic term for humanitarian relief, or a small package of snacks …
Another family-run business in the San Francisco Bay Area is closing. This time it’s a 39-year-old bakery with locations throughout the Bay Area. Aside from the usual narrative about the rising costs of renting commercial space in Silicon Valley, this one had another common footnote: the struggle to find, hire and retain employees. San Francisco …
The modern phrase “grasping at straws” actually dates back to the 1500s and is mostly attributed to Thomas More and his “Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation.” He that in tribulation turneth himself unto worldly vanities, to get help and comfort by them, fareth like a man that in peril of drowning catcheth whatsoever cometh next …
My friends and I joke about the GPS voice that says “recalibrating” when we don’t follow her specific instructions. We wonder if it would be better if she sounds more frustrated or annoyed at having to recalculate directions for her recalcitrant driver. But, no, she is steady and patient and will recalibrate as often as …
I used to be an avid photographer. I took classes. I traveled with my SLR and worked in a darkroom. Over the years, as photography became easier with digital cameras, I slowly dropped the habit from taking “serious” photos to catching snapshots…to…sadly…group selfies. Recently I bought a new DSLR, which I’ve only managed to get out …