“You can appreciate when someone like Jesus, or Buddha, Mohammed, St. Francis of Assisi, John the Baptist, Mary Magdalene or even YOU need to withdraw from the world. Whether it is the desert, the cave, the mountain top, under the Bodhi tree or spa, find the down time when your threshold has been reached. You’re so tired, drained, frustrated, angry, teary – all signs to withdraw to regroup, refresh, re-energize, reboot, RELAX before venturing...

“Friends visiting this weekend. Son leaving for college next weekend. Sister’s friend had a baby. Grandpa was buried a week ago. The sapling is growing nicely this summer. The grand oak – so beloved – was struck by lightning and had to be cut down. First camp for the six-year-old nephew; it will be the last canoe trip for Uncle Bob. The graduation ceremony was beautiful; Aunt Mary took her last rites in hospital as she wanted. You remember the...

“As chance – or was it something else? – would have it, a little toadstool appeared in the planter the other day. You could call it a mushroom but unlike what you see in a typical mushroom, it was a pale, soft green, yellow color, amazingly delicate and beautiful in its petite symmetry.  Was this a fluke? Was it bringing a special message? Was its presence showing how important it is to take notice of what is around us? Perhaps the latter…...

“Was it you who asked, “Why is the sky blue?” when you were little? Did you ask “why” a lot then?  And when you went to school, were you the one who raised your hand to answer a question so many times that the teacher passed you over any time someone else had their hand up? Or maybe you never raised your hand because you knew the teacher had no answer for the questions you kept in your head? Perhaps most important now is, “Why have you...

“It must be the weather… the heat, not only sunny and very hot but also laden with high humidity, makes for some discomfort. The threat of severe thunderstorms confirms the heaviness of the day. Based on experience, you can generally anticipate a heavy downpour will bring relief: cooler temperatures, perhaps a lower humidex and maybe a little, refreshing wind into the mix. Transpose this description and you have a similar scenario playing...