• Lessons from a Turkish Cat’s Perspective

    Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week. Spanish Proverb My son captured this photo of a cat sharing his table during a trip to Turkey. Apparently, Turkish cats are plentiful and quite sociable. I chose this particular photo because the cat’s glazed-over eyes reflect my current mood. It seems like he finds the…

  • Christmas Memories

    Christmas is the day that holds all time together. Alexander Smith Another Christmas is almost here. I spent some time decorating the house and porch last week, which was an enjoyable project filled with festive music and the cheerful spirit that this season brings. I mentioned in my last post that I decided to give…

  • The Christmas Village

    Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. Calvin Coolidge (I revisited a post I wrote in 2021, and it’s filled with a sense of nostalgia. A few years ago, I decided…

  • Alexa and Edna St Vincent Millay

    Versailles My candle burns at both ends; It will not last the night: But, ah, my foes and oh, my friends, It gives a lovely light. Edna St. Vincent Millay What does a photo taken at Versailles, Alexa, and Edna St. Vincent Millay have in common? Well, the photo is straightforward. The quote from Millay…

  • Thanks And Gratitude

    Living in a state of gratitude is the gateway to grace. Arianna Huffington I’ve been contemplating the distinction between thanks and gratitude. I can sense your sigh and whisper about semantics. Just hang in there for a second. As we approach Thanksgiving, it might be worthwhile to delve deeper into these distinctions in our daily…

  • Finding Grace

    I don’t understand the mystery of grace-only that it meets us where we are and does not leave us where it found us. Anne Lamott Looking out over the lake at sunset has become one of my favorite places to sit and reflect. As the sun slowly descends over the water, painting the sky with…

  • Autumn Reflections

    Life is a process, and not a station. Ralph Waldo Emerson Autumn is here! It’s a short-lived season, fleeting as it transitions from the warmth of summer to the crispness of winter. It has always seemed to me that once Halloween arrives, the year is gone in a blur. One moment we’re carving jack-o’-lanterns, the…

  • Less is More

    Less is more only when more is too much. Frank Lloyd Wright This morning, I found myself reminiscing about Paris. For me, Sacre Coeur Basilica resonated deeply with my heart in a way that the grandeur of Notre Dame couldn’t. Similarly, the Musee d’Orsay captivated my imagination far beyond the meandering halls and awe-inspiring art…

  • The Journey to Self-Discovery

    I was sitting alone on the patio of a favorite restaurant, basking in the warm glow of the late afternoon sun. I sipped a refreshing spritzer from a tall, chilled glass, its bubbles dancing to the surface and complementing the hot summer day. As I relaxed, watching the world go by, a young woman walked…