A Heartfelt Journey – Join me on a blessed and heartfelt journey of discovery!

Less Comparison and More Compassion

August 3, 2023August 2, 2023
by admin

It’s easier for you because you are smarter. It is easier for you because you are stronger. It is easier for you because your situation is different. It is easier for you because… fill in the blank. It’s easier for you because is a refrain I have heard throughout my life. And perhaps things have been easier for me. I really don’t know because I only know what I experience. What I do know is that when these words are given back to me, even when I have said nothing about the subject at hand, what I hear is, ‘Your experience isn’t valid.’ Read more “Less Comparison and More Compassion” →

A Heartfelt Journey

Allowing Myself to See Me

July 15, 2023July 15, 2023
by admin

It was a sunny day, warm for the time of year and seeming like any other day, but it was also the day of my father’s funeral. One that I was hoping to navigate and come out on the other side without feeling completely overwhelmed or having to shut down. I was anxious for many reasons and really just wanted to curl up and hide away from everyone, away from my perceived duties, so I could continue to mourn his passing in private. As always, though, I felt the need to be the strong one. The one who was witnessing this not just for myself but also for my sister, who was unable to attend. I was the one who would hold it together, read his eulogy, and offer comfort to others who were hurting. I would accomplish this while keeping a smile on my face and maintaining a positive outlook. Read more “Allowing Myself to See Me” →

A Heartfelt Journey

What is the Perspective of Fairness?

July 7, 2023
by admin

‘It’s only fair, isn’t it?’ Such a common phrase, but I was a bit bewildered when my mom uttered it as a defense of wishing to be treated with simple respect and decency. Fairness had nothing to do with the issue at hand, I tried to explain, but she clung to this concept of fairness in having set a boundary with someone.

A Heartfelt Journey

A Hero Among Us Seeing Things Differently

June 14, 2023June 7, 2023
by admin

Engaging with joy. When I met Alexander Murkison in person, engaging with joy was my first impression and, upon reflection, a lasting one. Like many in our community, I first learned who Alexander was when he ran for a seat on the Lompoc School Board as a recent high school graduate with a mental health platform. I quickly learned what Alexander may have lacked in life experience for the position; he made up for with his energy, compassion, ability to look at things differently, and courage to address issues that are important to him but are not always as readily accepted by society.

Reflections and Lessons

Finding Hope in an Unexpected Place

June 7, 2023
by admin

Recently, I attended a local school board meeting. Because of a few items on the agenda, it was standing room only, and I found myself in the hallway for a couple of hours with a group of high school students and their two advisors. We were all waiting for our turn to make our presentations, and though we listened to what was happening in the boardroom, as is the nature of these events, we found ourselves whispering pleasantries to one and another as well as a few comments about what was transpiring in the other room. Read more “Finding Hope in an Unexpected Place” →

Mindfulness

Perceptions, Perspectives, and a Wildflower

June 1, 2023May 23, 2023
by admin

Wildflowers have always fascinated me. When I see them, my heart sings and I smile in wonder at their beauty and courage to grow in some of the most inhospitable places. Many years ago, I began taking pictures of ones I encountered when visiting different areas, admiring how there are so many varieties and knowing you can find them almost anywhere. Because of this, I have grown to recognize many of the ones I find along our local hiking and walking trails, and recently, I noticed a new one I didn’t remember seeing before. White, delicate star-shaped flowers sat atop a thin stem with long, blade-like leaves. The leaves reminded me of daffodil leaves or perhaps narcissus, and with these observations, I thought the plant had been placed along the trail by someone and not endemic to the area. I still enjoyed its beauty and took a quick picture, making a mental note of its location to point it out to my granddaughter on our next walk that way. Read more “Perceptions, Perspectives, and a Wildflower” →

Heroes Among Us

A Hero Among Us and a Mother of the…

May 26, 2023May 17, 2023
by admin

I believe every person’s story could be made into a major motion picture, complete with all the things we hold dear. Joyous celebration, heart-rending grief, challenges to overcome, and lessons to learn. These are the things that make a movie enjoyable, and these are the moments that comprise our lives. As Veronica Williams generously shared her story with me, it reminded me of this. She also reminded me how each of our stories matters because we matter. A reminder we matter not for what we have done, but for who we are. Read more “A Hero Among Us and a Mother of the Community” →

Reflections and Lessons

Holding My Mother’s Hand in New Found Awareness

May 11, 2023May 11, 2023
by admin

It’s ugly, it’s beautiful, and it’s complicated. There is pain, and there is joy, frustration and acceptance, gratitude, and sadness. With so many contrasts in one relationship, it is hard to define my feelings for my mother. It is also why I feel a contradictory ambiguity, sprinkled with guilt, as each Mother’s Day approaches.

Reflections and Lessons

Choosing to Reclaim My Dream and Power

May 4, 2023
by admin

How often have I given my power away to a single person? A single person who didn’t even know me. A single person who didn’t even care to get to know me? Perhaps far too often, but obviously not often enough to be aware of it, a lesson brought home recently.

Mindfulness

Smiling at the Noise of the World

July 25, 2022July 25, 2022
by admin

Noise. There is so much noise right now. Whether it is the war in Ukraine, climate challenges, the stance that SCOTUS is taking, another mass shooting, the revelations of the January 6th Hearings, or a myriad of other perceived threats, there is a lot of noise. A lot of noise, discomfort, and for me this morning, a lot of overwhelm.

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