When you focus on the surface is that you’ll see what’s happening, of course, and that’s always a good start. How swiftly is the person moving in the direction of their goal? How steady is the sword, how surprised the horse may seem to be at the headlong rush. And this really is a good […]
When the river runs red and blood seeps into the ground on which you stand, there are two choices. Look outwardly for help to come from an unexpected quarter (from the east, on the third day, perhaps), or look in, and take stock of what you possess that can be brought to bear. It’s not […]
I watched her from my home in the sky, and worried that she wouldn’t notice me. How could she, after all, with her back turned and her eyes covered? Still, I crept across the sky, doing my work as she did her own. It often seemed that she had turned her back on everything – […]
Packing for an important journey is always hard. What to take, what to leave behind, how much to plan on using from home and how much to just buy when you arrive. How much money will it all cost? How much room will it take up? How heavy will that backpack be, and can I […]
In the moments after a mistake, there is very little good that can be done, yet quite a bit can happen that will only serve to make things worse. Consider: How many times have you fumbled something coming off the stove, and then reached out to grab it at the last second, adding “burned fingers” […]
Everything here is an aspect of myself, of course. The grapes that nourish and delight my senses are a manifestation of work I put in long ago, finally bearing fruit. The castle, in the distance, reflects ancestors who lived before me and left a framework to build my life around. Even the snail, slowly making […]
The sword always made me uncomfortable, if I’m honest. It seemed to be a tool of vengeance, not justice, and striking fear in the hearts of the accused always felt to me as an unnecessary bit of cruelty. Anyone before me in a situation where the application of a sword might seem a reasonable outcome […]
Sometimes your position requires that you be separated from the world to a degree. Your work may demand it, or your service may ask it of you, or the people you lead may need to see you as a bit separate. Elevated, if only a little bit. In those times it’s easy to see yourself […]
To behold the thing, it’s best to be surrounded by it. To be able to feel it. Smell it. Hear it whispering in your ear. This is true of tangible things, but it’s also true of concepts and feelings. To behold abundance, go to where you feel abundant. To behold love, go to where love […]
No one likes to be fooled, and we go through many contortions to prevent it from happening, or at least to reduce its likelihood. We may bring all of our attention, our discernment, our experience, our cynicism to bear on the smallest thing, to ensure that nobody has cause to snicker at our gullibility. It’s […]