As most of you know, I had a near death experience on November 1, 2014 and have spent quite a bit of time the last 10 days processing everything that has happened in my life. I have learned a number of lessons along the way. One of them is about how opening up is an act of service. One of the most significant aspects of my healing has been my active choice to be transparent about what is happening in my life and jumping into the blessings, which this significant change has brought me. The only way for me to grow in my own personal journey was to work and climb to the next level.
This morning was a real test of my willingness to do that.
Read moreA few days ago, we celebrated Valentine’s Day and I have to say I have mixed feelings about this holiday. When I was a child I used to love it for the candy and cards, I got from my peers in school. As an adult, I have come to not like it for the commercialization of the idea and the focus and pressure some people experience to be in an intimate relationship.
Zoe and I no longer celebrate Valentine’s Day. For us, everyday is Valentine’s Day. We do not do anything special just because the world says, “It’s Valentine’s Day.” Rather, at the end of each day we take a moment to share at least one thing the other one has done that has made us feel loved. Sometimes we do them throughout the day, especially when one of us is not feeling well and may not be awake at the end of the day.
Read moreRecently, I have been listening to some of the people in my life claim some titles in their lives. A few people have claimed to be the queen of procrastination. Another person I know told me he was the king of trifling. I used to say that I was the queen of serious. As I have listened to my friends, colleagues, former congregants, students (past and present), family members, and people I do not even know how I know, I have come to realize that just about everyone has at one point or time in their lives earned the title of the king or queen of repetition. There are some things in my life that I have done for so long that I no longer realize why I do them or why I do them the way I do them. For example, I have specific days of the week that I clean each room in the house. Or I have to sleep on the left side of the bed. Whether I am with someone or not, I have my side of the bed. I can be sleeping in a king size bed by myself, but I always wind up in the same place, in the same position on the bed. I am not even sure how this became a pattern, but it is.
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