The Value of Borrowed Time

The Value of Borrowed Time

December 11, 2018
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Think back to a moment in your life when you had a near miss or a miracle save.

I recall getting lost in a big foreign city one winter night and realizing with a heart-dropping plunk that I had wandered down an alley that was wildly unsafe. Somehow the gruff men arguing within earshot did not see me . . . somehow I navigated safely back to a crowded street.

Another whoa moment? I was body surfing solo in Hawaii in a secluded cove and didn’t have time to respond to the swell just feet away. It felt like a linebacker punched my chest, as I went under and got caught in the rip tide. I was hurled into sharp coral, dragged along the bottom and, somehow, tossed up to the surface for air. I emerged with half a dozen nasty bruises and a deep gash in my foot . . . but I survived.

You surely have narrow escapes. Those near miss moments are borrowed time. And, if we accept that we are living every day in borrowed time, doesn’t that change how we act, what we say and who we value?

Borrowed time is a present from God, an eye-opening wonder and something that far too many of us fail to recognize. That extra span of time with loved ones, a fresh start on past misconceptions . . . a chance to act like our lives are the gifts they truly are.

The Forgotten Art Project

The Forgotten Art Project

October 11, 2018
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When my friend and creative soul sister Sherah reached out with an invitation to chat, I thought it was merely a how’s it going, mom life, let’s touch base girl kind of moment.

As it turns out, it was a lovely and humbling invitation to be featured on Episode 19 of The Forgotten Art Project podcast!

Before you listen (on iTunes or Spotify—shameless plug), keep in mind that I had two shots of espresso before the call. It’s a windy, wonderful, deep hearted and expansive conversation about how a writer can find herself, lose herself and get inspired to show up for others. I hope you enjoy and, perhaps, take away a few tidbits.

Ready for Renewal

Ready for Renewal?

August 7, 2018
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If you hear the word “renew,” what comes to mind?

Perhaps your Amazon membership, your magazine subscription or your passport. You’re not wrong but, like so many words with rich origins, renew has many meanings. In fact, for giggles, peruse Webster (or, if you’re under 30, Google) and scan the multiple definitions.

At a soul level, maybe you answered differently. Perhaps your spirit cried out, “The feeling of having fresh life, greater strength or inner peace.” I know my soul longs for these things and, through continual mediation, I seek them passionately. I encourage you to:

  1. Accept that you are craving a deep, genuine renewal
  2. Vocalize to your heart and mind that you deserve renewal
  3. Seek it within yourself, not in the world

If you can begin to do these things, you’re ready for renewal to take root. Because, honestly friends, as much as I adore a spa day or a vacation getaway (and believe me, I do), the lasting and most beneficial renewal is from the inside out.

Looking at the Old Testament Greek word for renewal, we find anakainosis. What intrigues me is that it means “renovation” or a “complete change for the better.” Consider the power in renovating or actively transforming your mindset. Sink into the promise of a total change . . . that is designed to bring better to your life. That renewal, friends is soul changing!

So, as you pray, meditate or reflect, take in this wondrous renewal with gratitude.

Searchlight Poem

The Soul’s Searchlight

June 28, 2018
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I have found myself in a reflective space recently. At first, I assumed it was a survival mechanism for some chaotic waves . . . then, I realized it was a stirring of my creative soul calling me back to my poetic roots. So, indulge me, friends. Here is a piece from my Poet’s Soul series, written almost a decade ago. It’s called “Searchlight:”

Headstrong and heart long
the path of life beckons—
releasing prismatic inspiration
on the canvas of careworn time.

Calling in unsung melodies—
a heart and mind sway rhythmically
to chords of verity and epic depth,
fueled by a masquerading glory.

Cast aside expectation and strife,
burrow into the clarity of “if,”
deny no whim, nor shade no beam—
for a moment, let all fade to balance.

Search in the eyes of an assumed stranger
and find the warmth of ages—
comforting smiles, playful glances—
more reality than myth demands.

Permeating to the core,
distilling the elements never uttered
but always sought from self—
mirroring the best of one as more.

Poetry means many things to many people, and it can change with time. For me, this rings of the unstoppable pull of life experience, the desire to feel and see all that a soul can discover, and the connected little lights that glimmer from inside all of us. I hope you enjoy.

Focus on the Bricks, Not the House

Focus on the Bricks, Not the House

March 17, 2018
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In a recent conversation with friends, someone said, “I don’t know how to keep my loved ones from making poor choices.” I took a deep breath and responded, “Focus on the bricks, not the house.”

She stared at me quizzically with the she-has-finally-gone-mad-WTF-did-that-mean look that friends are allowed to dispense to another.

I grinned warmly and explained. Scripting the lives and outcomes of others is neither your calling nor your place. Whether it’s hoping that a family member comes to faith, a friend gives up an unhealthy relationship, a spouse moves past an addiction or a child avoids tough pitfalls, you cannot map out their entire life. You are not building their house, they are.

Instead, you can lay down individual bricks. Each one is an act of love, compassion, respect, comfort, moral fortitude, wisdom . . . bricks that offer a path, if they choose to walk with you. Bricks that they can choose to use in the foundation of their own spiritual house.

If those poor choices lead to harmful behaviors, thoughtfully guide them to seek professional help. But, in most cases, you cannot force them. We each have free will and use it as we will.

Remember to place bricks gently. The most well-intentioned among us, myself included, can desire happiness for our loved ones to such a degree that we may slip into figuratively tossing the bricks at them. That breaks windows in their house and can leave bruised feelings.

Just like you might see at the entrance to a monument or museum, write a little hopeful note on the brick in your mind, like “I pray for your peace and fulfillment” as you graciously offer it. That kind of loving mortar builds a lasting connection.