May is Mental Health Awareness month and I want to encourage “everyday awareness” of mental health needs – within ourselves, within our families and within our community. We don’t have to look very far to see lives that are affected by stress, anxiety, mood issues or relationship problems. It happens…
This observation seems self-evident yet I often see people making this their primary stress management plan. Do you know someone who goes through their litany of stressors and you think, “that’s just life happening” – slow traffic, sick kids, disagreements at home, pressure at work. And the implication seems to be…
You may have heard the saying “as within, so without;” it reflects a very simple but profound truth. It captures the idea that your internal world is reflected in the external world; that your relationship with yourself is very much connected to your relationships with others. This is especially true…
Last week I enjoyed beautiful air, sunshine and a hike up Miller Canyon in Arizona. After more than a week of living with some viral assault, it felt good to feel good again. Although I try to stay mindful and grateful for my health, nothing ups my appreciation of a…
Over the last few days I’ve been reminded that it is “New Year’s resolution” time everywhere I turn; on television, radio or social media. Experts cite the grim statistic that only 10% of us will keep our resolutions for more than a couple of weeks and purvey guidelines on how…
“Lord of all to thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise.” It was twenty years ago this week. It was a unique Thanksgiving for our family and one that I still recall with great fondness. Most years we had hosted Thanksgiving dinner for family and friends who…
It was one of those weekends. Part of me welcomed a reason to huddle up inside, make muffins, play games and watch old movies. Part of me waited with bated breath to see if the predictions would unfold, laid awake at night listening to the howling wind, and then watched…
On Behalf of a Grateful Nation In the Spring of 2010 I had the opportunity to stand in the Anzio War Cemetery near Anzio in southern Italy; a beautiful coastal town about 45 miles south of Rome. It was my first experience to stand on U.S. soil in a foreign…
Perfect Timing Timing is a fascinating concept to me. Probably because it is a powerful factor in the way life unfolds and one that I often do not understand, and certainly cannot control. Birth and death most easily come to mind in this regard, but there are countless other…
A Life of Thanks-Living This week many of us will gather with family and friends to celebrate the abundance in our lives. It is a time to slow down, think about what we are grateful for, feel our gratitude and experience its heart-warming impact. For families facing the…