My country is the world and my religion is to do good. ~Thomas Paine Each time I travel, I bring something home with me. Not photographs, not souvenirs, not even the memories—although I treasure those too. What I really bring back is something quieter: a small shift in how I see the world. Sometimes it’s a tiny realization, sometimes it’s something big. Either way, it begins shaping me long before I can even put it into words, and I find another little piece of myself witho

The long slow pause of winter helps me get quiet in my head so I can hear my heart better, and hold the lessons of the previous year close to me, letting them marinate. The intention setting of January never made sense to me. We need time to catch our breath, stand still, and then choose a path.  By the time February and March roll around, I'm antsy and ready to shed a few layers. By shedding layers, I make room for the next season and the year ahead, whatever it brings. An

Winter is a time of withdrawing from the world, maximising scant resources, carrying out acts of brutal efficiency and vanishing from sight; but that’s where the transformation occurs. Winter is not the death of the life cycle, but its crucible. ~Katherine May; Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times There is no doubt that winter has its drawbacks -- shorter days, cold temperatures that keep you housebound (or wishing you were,) icy roads and random weathe

There are seasons when time seems to fold in on itself. Everything that used to feel manageable begins to pile up -- work that expands past your calendar blocks, logistics that multiply mid-week, meals that never quite make it to a plate. The routines you once maintained with ease start to feel out of reach, as if they belong to someone with more time and space.    Even though you know this isn’t a failure of effort or discipline, it’s easy to get caught in a loop: slipping o

The song of summer sings itself. ~William Carlos Williams Now that summer is in full swing, I'm headed back outdoors as much as I can...

It's a cliche I suppose, but one that holds up. As you get older, time moves faster. Suddenly, the days are shorter, the years go by in...

Stress is a natural response to life's challenges and this time of year holds plenty, but chronic stress can take a toll on our...