A Beacon of Light

“Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.”  ~ Karl Barth Thanksgiving is over. There’s no more leftover turkey. Out-of-town visitors are on their way back home. Thanksgiving Day 2024 is now a part of history. Giving thanks, however, goes on. Giving thanks is not a once-a-year activity. Gratitude is a mindset, one which enables us…

“When we focus on what’s right instead of what’s wrong, life improves considerably.” ~ Hal Urban It seems to be human nature to focus on what’s wrong in life and to take what’s going well for granted. I wish I could explain this phenomenon, but I’m unable to do so. I know from my own…

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”  Desmond Tutu Ernest Hemingway once wrote, “We are all broken. That’s how the light gets in.” It’s difficult to disagree on the brokenness part of his statement. We are human, therefore we are all, in some way, broken. And that’s…

“Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead has never watched them dancing on a windy day.”  Shira Tamir The well-quoted phrase, “The only constant in life is change,” is attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus. His prophetic words are as valid today as when they were first uttered in the 6th century B.C. I…

“The heat of autumn is different from the heat of summer. One ripens apples, the other turns them to cider.”  Jane Hirshfield When I think of the season of autumn, I think of words like brisk, cozy, chilly, and colorful. I also find myself immersed in a pumpkin-spice culture: pumpkin-spice latte, pumpkin-spice breads and muffins,…

Brother David Steindl-Rast has made a name for himself as the “Guru of Gratitude.” His insights into what it means to be happy in life, and his claim that gratitude is the key to happiness, has inspired thousands of women and men around the world. I invite you to take a break — a 24-minute…

“Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you’re alive, it isn’t.”  Richard Bach “Why am I here?” Four simple words. One fundamental question. When I was a child, the question was posed as a cute invitation to dream about my future. “What do you want to be when…

“The beauty of memories lies not in their clarity, but in the warmth they bring to our hearts.”  Author Unknown On Saturday, August 24, 1974, my friend and high school classmate, Dan Pasini, and I boarded a 10:00 p.m. flight from San Francisco to Miami. From there, we took a connecting flight to the Bahamas.…

“There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be diminished by a nice cup of tea.”  Bernard Paul Heroux I grew up in a tea family. The rich smell of coffee brewing in the morning permeated our home only when my paternal grandmother stayed with us after a number of hospital visits. For…

“When you look at your mother, you are looking at the purest love you will ever know.”  Mitch Albom My mother died two years ago today. Her death was not unexpected. Mom, who was less than a month shy of her 93rd birthday, passed away peacefully in her home at the Villa Siena Retirement Community…