Inspiration
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The Serenity of Santa Fe
Be careful when speaking. You create the world around you with your words. Navajo Quote During our trip to Santa Fe, I noticed a captivating painting at the La Fonda Hotel where we stayed. The Navajo artist infuses the artwork with a meaningful cultural significance, particularly in this region steeped in rich traditions. I’m drawn…
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Embracing Imperfection
I occasionally revisit this topic, which challenges me as I consider the questions of self-expectation. It’s not only about seeking perfection; it’s that the intricate dance between ambition and reality often leads to frustration. Once, I had a highly respected manager tell me, “I could never be as hard on you as you are on…
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Embrace a Soft Life
Home Soft Life The radical act of choosing calm over chaos, pleasure over pressure, and serenity over stress. It’s about crafting a life sprinkled with joy, simplicity, and maybe a bit of indulgence because why not? Life’s too short for subpar coffee and missed sunsets. Jennifer Walter This is one of my favorite photos of…
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Selective Memory
Chihuly Garden and Glass, Denver Botanic Gardens Memory is so selective; wishful thinking presses it into service all the time. Fay Weldon I have the unfortunate habit of seeing what should be there instead of what is there when I proofread my writing. Thankfully, AI has made my life much easier in this regard by…
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Life’s Journeys
Santa Fe, New Mexico The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected. Robert Frost Life has taken another turn. My husband’s retirement marks a significant milestone in our lives, and we’re excited to embark on a trip to Santa Fe to celebrate. He worked several years beyond my own retirement, and I knew he would…
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Surprises Still Exist
Lilies in my Living Room Life is full of unpredictable beauty and strange surprises. Mark Oliver Everett I’ve now started two posts featuring photos of flowers. This might seem contradictory, considering I mentioned in a previous post, Gardening and Housekeeping, that I don’t enjoy gardening. It’s true that I don’t particularly like gardening, but I…
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Gardening and Housekeeping
A household has to be tended to flourish and grow. Housework is never ‘done’ in the same sense that gardening is never done or that God’s providential involvement in the world is never done. Margaret Kim Peterson A couple of weeks ago I wrote about my aversion to cooking in, The Joy of Cooking or Not.…
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Happiness Amid Chaos
Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude. Denis Waitley Happiness, an elusive emotion, seems to be slipping away from me in a country plagued by petty and hateful behavior. The constant turmoil that surrounds me makes it increasingly…
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The Invisible Aging Woman
Botanica Chair, Olga and Aleksey Ivanov (“Idea for a ghost story: a woman gets old and falls out of time and realizes she’s invisible.)” Emily St. John Mandel As women age, do they become invisible in society, particularly in America, where youth is often prioritized? As we age, we are perceived as less valuable and…
Aging with Grace 