“Who doesn’t like mudpuddles?  Remember when you were a kid, and it was so appealing to test out a puddle. You wanted to know how deep it was. The thrill of finding out was just that: did the water go over your toes, your feet, your boots? Though you half-expected the soaker, it was always a surprise when it happened. Walking home with soggy feet was not fun but this was the least of your worries. Knowing your mom might not be pleased...

“The Japanese custom of caring for the departed involves an exquisite ritual of carefully cleansing the body, dressing it with ornamental and favoured clothing, then gently placing the legs forward while ever so carefully folding the arms and then each of the fingers into the hands before clasping them reverently and placing them slowly on the chest. This ritual is performed with such respect, calm, and serenity that the preciousness of this...

“In between jobs, videos, meetings, … In between meals, partners, errands, … In between kids, colds, payments, … In between tears, laughter, worries, … In between travels, studies, visits, … In between cups of coffee, mouthfuls, diets, … In between hearing, reading, watching, …In between lovers, friends, enemies, … In between dreams, goals, objectives, … In between games, periods, operations, … In between buying, selling, renting, … In between...

“A client was asking for advice upon taking a new job. The response came quickly and unrehearsed: “Let your ears do the talking.” Its meaning? Spend more time listening to what is being said. Allow those familiar with the situation to describe, explain, fill in, complete, clarify what you don’t know or understand. Putting it bluntly, in new circumstances you don’t know what you don’t know, making it even more important to give others the floor....

“No asking, demanding, proposing, arguing, pontificating, pleading, wishing, questioning, advising, admitting, conversing, interrupting, whistling, sighing, gesturing, singing, …no-thing. Just be in their presence when they need to lament, rejoice, regret, whisper, confess, offer, wonder, cry, share… Be a witness to another’s existence. Be a witness to their life experience. One day they will be a witness to yours, and you will be so grateful...

““As they watched the bright star shining over the city an angel came down from the sky and told the shepherds that the Son of God had been born in the city and they should go to him. The shepherds left their herds and came down from the hillside to find the newborn baby.” Find your baby; find your child and be at peace. Rejoice when you have found your peace: for it is a peace that passes all understanding which no one can take away from you.”...