All that passes descends,and ascends again unseeninto the light: the rivercoming down from skyto hills, from hills to sea,and carving as it moves,to rise invisible,gathered to light, to returnagain. “The river’s injuryis its shape.” I’ve learned no more.We are what we are givenand what is taken away;blessed be the nameof the giver and taker.For everything…
“We’re only here for a minute. We’re here for a little window. And to use that time to catch and share shards of light and laughter and grace seems to me the great story.” – Brian Doyle, from the Forward of One Long River Of Song The news about the Sycamore tree at Hadrian’s Wall…
“The thing about knowing you’re doing something for the last time is that it takes the joy right out of it.” ― Lynda Rutledge, West with Giraffes I walk through life with a reminder in my head: We may never pass this way again. Not the Seals & Crofts song, for that would leave me…
The water is wide, I can’t cross o’erAnd neither do I have wings to flyGive me a boat, carry twoAnd both shall rowMy love and I— Pete Seeger, The Water is Wide There’s a marriage occurring in the family this weekend, and it got me thinking about my own. I’m approaching three decades together, which…
I saw you standing with the wind and the rain in your faceAnd you were thinking ’bout the wisdom of the leaves and their graceWhen the leaves come falling downIn September when the leaves, come falling down— Van Morrison, When the Leaves Come Falling Down The puppy is having her first autumn, and in New…
“I have always believed that exercise is not only a key to physical health but to peace of mind. Many times in the old days I unleashed my anger and frustration on a punching bag rather than taking it out on a comrade or even a policeman. Exercise dissipates tension, and tension is the enemy…
In the middle of the nightI go walking in my sleepThrough the desert of truthTo the river so deepWe all end in the oceanWe all start in the streamsWe’re all carried alongBy the river of dreams — Billy Joel, The River of Dreams Some people seem to remember every dream. Some of us remember precious…
So before we endAnd then beginWe’ll drink a toast to how it’s beenA few more hours to be completeA few more nights on satin sheetsA few more times that I can sayI’ve loved these days— Billy Joel, I’ve Loved These Days When we love the days we’re passing through, it becomes easy to believe that…
“On the highest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own bottom.” — Michel de Montaigne, The Complete Essays Collectively, we tend to elevate some people in society to positions of power and influence. Some people crave power at all costs. And luckily for them, some people want to follow a compelling…
This is the hour, O soul, thy free flight into the wordless,Away from books, away from art, the day erased, the lesson done,Thee fully forth emerging, silent, gazing, pondering the themes thou lovest best:Night, sleep, death, and the stars. — Walt Whitman, A Clear Midnight We each must sacrifice something in our days. Some of…
“The first ashrama is brahmacharya, the period of youth and young adulthood dedicated to learning. The second is grihastha, when a person builds a career, accumulates wealth, and maintains a family. This second stage seems fairly straightforward and uncontroversial, but in this stage the Hindu philosophers find one of life’s most common traps: People become…