Her inner life informs the world around her.  Most often, we call her “brilliant” but what we mistake for brilliance is actually something called alignment or congruence and that kind ... read more »]]> As an actress, there is almost no equal—her wisdom’s not so bad either. Could this be why we love Meryl Streep?   

Her inner life informs the world around her.  Most often, we call her “brilliant” but what we mistake for brilliance is actually something called alignment or congruence and that kind of clarity of mind, purpose and action is available to all of us.

“Everybody is interesting.  Everybody has something unexpected to offer. The job of life….and acting is to pull it out of each other.”

“Integrate what you truly believe into every single area of your life.  So, take your heart to work with you and ask the most and the best out of yourself and everyone else.”

“I think your self emerges more clearly over time which is one of the grandest benefits of aging”

“You can’t get spoiled if you do your own ironing.”

“We are who we’re going to be when we’re very old, and when we’re very old, we become who we were when we were 8.”

“I want to feel my life while I’m in it.”

What’s true for you?

Where did it go?

I wanted to send you into the new year with a great reminder about the world we live in.  Click on the link below.

When you see that it’s up and running——sit back, close your eyes and drink it in.  The video ... read more »]]> Today’s the day……the last one of the year.

Where did it go?

I wanted to send you into the new year with a great reminder about the world we live in.  Click on the link below.

When you see that it’s up and running——sit back, close your eyes and drink it in.  The video is not the thing—it’s the words and the music……sung by Eva Cassidy, who is truly an angel.  After her death, her following has steadily grown.  You’ll see why.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

If you’re reading this in email and can’t see the video, click here to view online.

If you enjoyed this, you might also like...

• HOME IS WHERE THE ‘START’ IS……
• SNAP OUT OF IT!
• SCREAMING MINI-FILM FEST: OUR WORLD….RIGHT NOW

THEY’LL FORGET WHAT YOU SAY

THEY’LL FORGET THOSE GLOWING PARTS, OF YOUR STUNNING RESUME

but they will always, always remember…….

HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL……… ON ANY GIVEN DAY

Maya Angelou

But the big gulping noises, runny nose, and torrents of tears gave me away, the minute I sat down. As I sputtered ... read more »]]> Two or three days after our house burned down, I was at my usual manicure appointment with Katy, making a numb effort to get back to something called normal.

But the big gulping noises, runny nose, and torrents of tears gave me away, the minute I sat down. As I sputtered and lurched my way through the story of what had just happened to us, Katy, visibly brightened.

Now, that just shut me right up. She was smiling from ear to ear.

“This saved your life! This is a blessing!” she said, still beaming.

Huh??

Because I have always admired Katy, I was willing to listen…..and I was so stunned by her response……I had no choice.  Katy has lived many chapters in her relatively short life.  She brings so much more to the manicure table than her skill with polish and top coat.  One of nine children, growing up in a horrendous and harrowing Vietnam—she made her way to the United States, and put herself through college by working all night in a factory. She has been instrumental in bringing the rest of her family to the United States, including her elderly parents. She owns her home and raises her two children as a single mom. She is kind and elegant and proud of what she does. Her book is filled with long time clients who adore her as much as I do. She is also a devout Buddhist.

As she explained to me—-When we lose the THINGS we are attached to, only then, do we find OURSELVES.

As a Christian minister myself, I thought I had that concept pretty well incorporated into my life. As much as I love beautiful things—–my first reaction to the phone call from friends who delivered the terrible news—-was the gaping hole of grief I felt for the loss of my time and energy and effort that went into creating our “dream home” over an 18 month period. My life, my brain, and nearly every waking minute had been consumed with getting it all done, in a location more than an hour and a half away, dealing with the workmen and the widgets, getting every picture hung, making certain every bed and towel were fluffy and comfortable.  It was grueling and relentless.

Again, she said, “Your house was taken away because it had begun to take away YOUR LIFE and YOUR ENERGY. Now that your house is gone, you are free. You can now become the person you were meant to be.”

My tears went away that day. In the time it took to polish ten nails.

I wonder how often we get caught up in the fluffing, and the fixing and the thinking that having more and acquiring more and managing more is what we are meant to do. It is part of being successful, isn’t it? More of everything, all the time. Isn’t THAT the American Dream?

Maybe Divine forces are at work—-freeing us from MORE THINGS in order to find MORE OF OURSELVES.

If you enjoyed this, you might also like...

• WHEN SAYING NOTHING CAN MEAN EVERYTHING
• How Much Do You Tube? To TV or Not to TV?
• DO THE WACKY THING

And from 911, we also experienced miracles.  In one of those strange ironies, the kindness people showed one another afterward, was demonstrable and palpable—-for a while.  Do you remember? 

Several years after 911, I was a student at  The New Seminary (the oldest interfaith seminary in North ... read more »]]> 911 rocked the world.  No question.

And from 911, we also experienced miracles.  In one of those strange ironies, the kindness people showed one another afterward, was demonstrable and palpable—-for a while.  Do you remember? 

Several years after 911, I was a student at  The New Seminary (the oldest interfaith seminary in North America, based in New York City).  Even though I was raised in Chrisitanity, an integral part of my spiritual calling was to understand more about other religions and the cultures created from them.   It was run by Rabbi Roger Ross, with his wife, Deborah Steen-Ross,  an Anglican priest.  Rabbi Roger, as we called him,  had his own life-altering experience while being a part of the New York City Crisis Counseling Team, in the aftermath. What he shared with us, I share with you, now.

Rabbi Roger worked at Ground Zero, in 14 hour shifts for many, many days. One afternoon, as he was moving through the mayhem,  he noticed a lone firefighter, sitting on top of a pile of twisted rubble, crying.  As he made his way over to the distraught man, he realized that, suddenly, he too, felt overwhelmed.  He knew, if the torrent of tears bubbling in his throat were allowed to the surface, he might never stop. 

Yet, he also felt the inner commandment to be “strong” for this heroic soldier of the city—–”Do your job.”  and “Get a grip on yourself” screeched inside him like one more wailing siren.  Rabbi Roger, apprehensively approached this firefighter who looked to be no more than 18.  Still, not having it together, Rabbi Roger knew if  he opened his mouth, he would come competely unhinged.   So, without a word, he simply sat down.  Except for the periodic gulping breaths of the young man, not a word was uttered by either of them. More time passed.  No words came–even after regaining his composure enough to have said something but his brain and mouth remained in gridlock. 

Rabbi Roger was not sure how long they sat there, saying absolutely nothing to one another.   He only knew how horrified, how completely idiotic and stunned he felt,  at his complete lack of ability to “be there” for this grieving young man.  Then, it hit him.

HE was in his own way—– focused, entirely upon HIMSELF and his seeming ineptitude. The words he wanted access to, were caught under the rubble of his own sanctimonious, highly critical, ego—-in his anger toward himself.   Bingo.

That realization turned the fury at himself into forgiveness. The OH-NO of this experience turned into an life transforming AH-HA.   Worrying about the “right words”, or any words at all…..ceased.    He shifted his focus—from what was lacking in him to the desire for care, comfort, and peace that this young man needed so desparately.   He asked God for restoration of this young man’s spirit, that his fractured soul would be freed of lingering fear and bitterness, enabling him to have a new view of life that would be whole and positive, one day. Then, he reached for the man’s hand. More quiet time passed. When the young man, seemed ready to release his grip, Rabbi Roger knew it was time to move on, assuming he would never see the young man again. 

A few weeks later, when he was attending, yet another, firefighter’s funeral, Rabbi Roger felt a tap on the shoulder.  As he turned, he recognized the now clean face of that young man–who, for a flash—reminded him of what he thought were his failings that day.  He had an apology on the tip of his tongue when the young man said, “I still don’t know who you are.  But what you said to me that day, sitting on that giant pile of Hell—–saved my life.  I could not stand to think about the father and brother and friends I had lost.  I wanted to die too. You sat down. You took my hand.  No fanfare.  You were just there.  You told me ” ‘Keep the Faith’.  Now was my chance to be a man, for myself, my family, and my community.  Because of you, I got up. The anger and fear went away. I felt brave and determined.  This WAS my chance–to step up to the challenges, to become an example of courage and loyalty and good will, in the face of all this destruction. I will never forget your words.  They were just what I needed to hear. Thank you”.

Sometimes, when we think we are failing, we are doing anything but.  Sometimes a gentle hand, extended without an agenda or fear of doing “the wrong thing”—–a compassionate gesture, guided purely by faith, really means everything.

If you enjoyed this, you might also like...

• LIKE….WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE?
• DO THE WACKY THING
• Sometimes The Best Wisdom Comes With a Top Coat

If you feel utterly lost about your PLAN in life or even if you have just an itch to feel engaged in something that brings you joy—this movie is a great ... read more »]]> JULIE & JULIA is one of the best movies I have ever seen about depicting the sometimes long and winding path to  your life’s calling. 

If you feel utterly lost about your PLAN in life or even if you have just an itch to feel engaged in something that brings you joy—this movie is a great place to spend an hour or so.  It could change your life—or at the very least, help you see that what you might most need to find—or to know about yourself –is that it’s right there, in front of you.  The story, as told on screen,  involves two women, living in different eras, each of whom were in a hand-wringing search for some real meaning and passion in their lives—-one most of us face when we commit to having the life that is uniquely ours.

One of the lead characters in the story was Julia Child.  She was a character.  She did not try to be anything else.  The way she became a household icon—-or as I call it—Julia Child with a CAPITAL “J” and a CAPITAL “C” is one part of the story line in the movie.  When she was still Julia Child with a regular “J” and a regular “C”—she was a bored housewife—–feeling like an appendage of her husband who lived a high-wire life as an American embassy official in Paris.  The only thing she could think of, that she really loved to do, was……”EAT!”.   At least she was honest enough to admit it.  

Could it be,  that  the spark which ignites the flame for a  life on purpose….. begins—with utter  honesty?   Maybe our grand plan actually starts with something as simple as the joy of eating or sleeping or playing cards or sewing, or counting things, or cleaning the fish tank, or walking long distances.

How often do we fry our minds with the ever-present thought that the “meter is ticking”? We only have so much time to find the finish line for the race we are supposed to be running.  Just a little anxiety producing, maybe?   Here is one important thing to know about Julia Child, in case you don’t get to the movie.  She did not find her trajectory until she was nearly 50.  Her first on-camera experience with her own television show was at 52.  We got to love and learn from her for the next 30+ years.  She was still a correspondent on Good Morning America until nearly 90!

Julie, the counterpoint story in the movie, was an aspiring writer, down on herself because she had not “made it”.  Her day job, was immersed in dealing with the sadnesses of many people after the disaster of 911.  She was attached to her headset,  in the confines of a cubicle in a huge room full of cubicles.  She was going a little nuts with her life—-living above a pizzeria in Queeens, commuting every day in monotonous drudgery.  One thing she knew for sure was that she loved watching Julia Child on TV, making French cooking look easy.   So easy, that it was something she thought she could actually do—especially to relieve the frustration she was feeling about her life.  The spark.  Something she  might love.  Someone she admired.  Why not give it a try?

Maybe a key to a new sense of purpose is in the thing you chose to do—–that takes you away from your frustrations.  Just a thought.

Again, I don’t want to ruin the movie for you by sharing too many details—-it is really refreshingly entertaining on all counts.  And if you are looking for a bottom line. that might apply in your own life, here it is—–the book….. that turned into this movie….. would not have been written or made without Julie……or Julia. The way each woman came into her own is the amazing and true intersection of loves and lives that are possible for all of us.  That message, alone, is worth the price of admission.

If you enjoyed this, you might also like...

• THE NATURE OF HUMAN NATURE
• THE ACTIONS YOU TAKE, THE LIFE YOU MAKE
• DO THE WACKY THING

Yo-Yo Ma. 

World reknown cellist and 15 time grammy winner, Yo-Yo Ma, was born in Paris to Chinese parents and ... read more »]]> As we struggle to find our individual voices, I believe we must look beyond the voice we’ve been assigned…… and find our place among the tones and timbre of human expression.

Yo-Yo Ma. 

World reknown cellist and 15 time grammy winner, Yo-Yo Ma, was born in Paris to Chinese parents and was raised primarily in America.  Early on, while he felt the pressure to “belong” and be identified within the roles of one of these three cultures, he soon learned that it was impossible for him to take his “assigned” seat in any one of them.  So, rather than settling on one way to go, he made the decision to explore many other cultures.  This decision and subsequent exploration created his own unique voice in the world and in his music.

His life is just another example about the discovery of our life’s purpose.  The thing that give us the most pain, can often be the megaphone of our purpose.  His angst over knowing who/what to become—Chinese?  American?  French?—led him to become what he was meant to be—A WORLD CITIZEN—bringing his talent and heart to audiences around the globe.

Every day, I try to make an effort to go toward what I don’t understand.  This concerted wandering leads to the accidental learning that constantly shapes my life.  Creative power exists at the intersection of cultures and new ideas.

Yo-Yo Ma, again!

So, what’s true for you?  Are you open to exploring out beyond the edges of your life?  Where do new ideas and closely held beliefs intersect?  Do you just wonder/wander about things sometimes?  Is there something that seems like a burr in your saddle that may be the very thing—which will lead you to your ultimate truest purpose in life?

If you enjoyed this, you might also like...

• MAKING YOUR BEST DECISION……EVER
• MESSAGES FROM MELISSA
• DO THE WACKY THING