We can begin to cultivate hope in ourselves and others by acknowledging the many people who are on our path by intention. By acknowledge, I mean to really look into the eyes of the many who surround you. No one is “there” accidentally. No one! When we embrace that awareness, the fear we so easily let fester in unfamiliar circumstances, diminishes. There is no way to initiate hope when fear lingers at the edge of our mind. The simple recognition that wherever we are is where we have been called to be can change our mood and expectations and suspend ou[...]
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Circle of Family and Friends – You and Your Personal Community
0 I have been traveling much of the last two weeks. I was in Austin, Texas, speaking at the annual Austin Recovery Organization fund raiser and then last week I spent 5 days in Phoenix speaking at an event, doing a show on television and then a book signing. All experiences were very rewarding. I love the interactions with every one. They inspire me. Being able to look people in the eyes, shake their hands, or give them a hug, makes the work I do a blessing every single day. However, the down side is that the travel part wears me out a bit. I got hom[...]
It's with a sense of loss that I write this post today. Joy, whom I spoke of in an earlier post, ( a very dear friend of 30 years) died at 3:30AM on February 14th, a mere 12 hours after I had left her bedside. I'm so glad I was able to share with her my love and blessings for a smooth journey. I'm confident she had one. My journey with Joy goes back to the moment she walked into a 12 step meeting I regularly attended. There was an immediate connection. I somehow knew we would be best of friends for many years and we were. Her name fit her so well. [...]
Very good friends of ours were here for the night. My husband has known both of them for more than 40 years. And I have known them for nearly 35 years. They are a delight in every way. We share the same journey in 12 step rooms, and walk the same path with A Course in Miracles too. Having friends who share your values, and have known you for so many years lends a special quality to the friendship. There are no secrets. Acceptance of who we really are is a given. Having history with people is one of the blessings of being in recovery. Most of the w[...]
I have a very close friend who is trying desperately to tolerate the chemo that is necessary for her pancreatic cancer. She came to visit me for a few days and was pretty sick while she was here. She is back up in Minnesota and continues to be sick. I chose this for a topic today because I believe in the power of prayer and I'd like to ask that all of you who happen to be reading this to pray for Joy. Further, I ask you to pass this request on to your friends too. I'd appreciate this very much. A world-wide prayer chain would be pretty formidable. H[...]
I have just spent the last three hours responding to your comments in regard to various blogs already posted on my site. I do this every couple of days so that I don't get too far behind and I want to say again that I love hearing from you. I know I've mentioned this before but I repeat it because of the grace you bring to my life. Simply knowing that you are "out there" catching the phrases I am throwing your way tickles and amazes me. The internet is a fascinating tool, isn't it. I have to admit that when I started this endeavor, I didn't realize it w[...]
I have spent the last two hours reading your comments to my posts. Every couple of days I do that and I respond to a great many of them. First let me say to all of you: I am extremely gratified that you have become readers and even more gratified that so many of you have taken precious time to respond to a particular post that spoke to you. I didn't realize that would even happen when I began this blog last year, and it didn't happen immediately. In fact, the first few months I wasn't even sure any one was reading the blogs. And then you started showing up[...]
I am thrilled every time I go on my website to write another post because I take that opportunity to read comments readers have made on previous posts. I feel really blessed because so many of you are writing to me. And a number of you have written a few times. I had no idea that would happen, I guess, but it's a great honor to be connected to you in this way. First, it's wonderful that you have taken the time out of your busy lives to read the posts but then taking the time to comment too simply astounds me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Writin[...]
Peaceful relationships are not accidental By Karen Casey, Ph.D. Taking responsibility for the tenor and content of our relationships is our greatest opportunity for making a difference in our individual lives and in the world we share with others. And, neither being responsible nor seizing the opportunity for making a difference requires us to make complicated changes in our behavior. On the contrary, a variation on what's already a typical behavior has the power to change us in positive ways, as well as the people who are sharing our lives. I have seldom m[...]
I got a message on Facebook a couple of days ago from a friend on the west coast. She said Dec 1 was "pay it forward" day. I love that idea of doing something kind and unexpected for some one. I loved the movie with the same title starring Kevin Spacey that came out a few years ago. It's such a simple idea and yet it's one that could change the world if every one of us did do even a tiny random act of kindness before this day, or any day, has ended. Many years ago Conari, a west coast publisher, in fact the same publisher that has published a number of[...]