We recently drove across town on a quiet Saturday afternoon to visit friends and meet their newborn daughter. During our visit, their daughter mostly lay snuggled against her mother's chest, asleep. They told me about their daughter's first weeks and how she only slept when she…
When my son was nine, his best friend moved three hours away. Over the next seven years, before the boys got their licenses, our two families would meet up halfway between us, coordinating weekend visits. We met at a barbeque restaurant and often ate lunch together. One day, because our…
A Sufi teacher once told me that the rain is a symbol of mercy, because nothing grows without rain. Here in Austin, we are thirsty for rain. We had a sprinkle a few evenings ago, but otherwise, the hot dry days stretch on for weeks. Most of my garden is…
Today is my Aunt Janet's birthday. And it's my friend Peter's birthday. And my friend Margaret's birthday. And I got a note from someone today about blessing things simply because they exist. What a powerful idea. And I got to thinking -…
Earlier this week I went to write a poem about an epiphany I had at my friend Jen's house, nearly 20 years ago now. I remember this day: she and her husband had left for work, her children for school, and I was returning something to her house.…
During the pandemic we tore up most of our small urban backyard to build raised garden beds. Three years later, we are humbled, and learning, and have fed countless birds, insects, squirrels and our dog Bailey, who loves to eat the cherry tomatoes before we pick them. Sometimes we feed…
Once a month, on Monday mornings, I join a group of soul divers for a Soul Writer's Circle. We putter and write. We read poems and talk about mystery. We laugh and cry and breathe and come home. Yesterday's meeting was an exploration of acceptance. To…
We talk freely about loving people, loving a favorite song or a favorite film - even loving a place. Can you love a road? And can a road love you back? In 2010 I moved from one small town to another - well, to a slightly bigger town - in…