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Some memories creep in slowly, a great effort made to push past the fog. Others rip down the curtains and flood your brain like a searing flash of light. This is one such memory. [PLEASE CLICK ON THE TITLE ABOVE TO CONTINUE READING]

The request started off innocuously enough – visit this website and write a note or a letter in honor of one of those special birthdays for a childhood friend. It encouraged me to sit back, relax and think of some good times and memories that I shared with her.

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At about the same time last week that I walked through the gates of the Polynesian Cultural Center on the island of Oahu, the US Census Bureau released its preliminary results of the 2020 Census. “The United States grew significantly more diverse over the past decade, as the populations of people who identify as Hispanic and Asian surged and the number of people who said they were multiracial more than doubled.” The white category declined. Again.

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You would think it to be a simple exercise.

My nonagenarian father made a simple request that, when the time comes, a park bench be erected in his memory along the path where he has walked daily for so many years. He wants a bronze plaque extolling the virtue of a good daily walk as an expression of gratitude to all the passersby who befriended him during his countless walks there. He even bought the bench and had it shipped, ready to go for, you know, “when the time comes”.

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“Daddy, I’ve never seen Uncle Bubba so happy”, said my young niece looking at a photo held in place by a red plastic magnetized “M” on the door of her refrigerator. I was standing then in the cramped galley of a sailboat, baseball cap on backwards, towel over my shoulder, a glass of wine close at hand, dicing and slicing, a pan simmering on the small gas stove. Her father was perched at the salon table with shards of sunlight bobbing along the bulkheads and across his face as the boat gently rocked, camera at the ready. He snapped that photo as I turned to look at him, laughing at his comment. We had just sailed the 30 or so miles from the Southern California mainland across the shipping lanes to Catalina Island where we were safely moored in Avalon Harbor, the barren hills behind the village to the south, the casino on the western point, the sun beginning its descent. To be fair, I can think of no finer moment for me than having just spent the day sailing, cooking a simple but delicious meal and enjoying it topside in the open air as the sun sets and in the company of a close, long-term friend while sharing a bottle of wine and good stories.

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These are extraordinary times to be sure.

We haven’t been able to see those whom we love for nearly a year now. And, perhaps, we’ve never spent so much time together with those we do live with. We’ve gotten creative in finding new ways to interact and to share. This situation has given us a unique opportunity to review what is really important to us, if we devote the time to think about it. [Please click on the title above to continue reading.]

I’ve been requested to address the real fear some of us are experiencing about the pandemic and how to deal with that fear. But as I jotted some early notes, I realized that both sides of that coin need to be considered. On the one hand, many are experiencing immobilizing fear as the pace of infection and deaths accelerate into the holiday season, and that fear needs to be dealt with. On the other hand, there are still too many who are moving about nonchalantly and unafraid who frankly need to be realizing more fear. [PLEASE CLICK ON THE TITLE ABOVE TO CONTINUE READING]

We are now six months into a pandemic that has no end in sight. We are all tired of the disruption. Fatigue definitely has set in. People are letting their guards down, and not just those defiant souls. It’s no wonder we’re seeing spikes in many states. With cold weather months and the flu season coming soon, continued vigilance is key to keeping ourselves, our loved ones and our communities safe. The simple things that we tend to overlook due to fatigue — hand washing, donning masks, physical distancing, avoiding large indoor gatherings — all remain just as important today as they have been throughout.

We cannot afford to let our guard down, especially as others around us lapse in their responsibility to do so. And, we cannot afford to let our immune systems become fatigued. I recently read an article sponsored by Global Healing. I want to share its message with you, as it is vital that we all continue to get the word out, repeatedly, consistently. [PLEASE CLICK ON THE TITLE ABOVE TO CONTINUE READING]

Most of us approach life in a very linear way; it appears to be moving us forward. It’s as if we’re all on a long moving sidewalk, like those in large airports. Some of us stand, some walk. We really don’t contemplate the choice before we step on – habits take over. Kids will try to playfully race against it, carefree and unencumbered by baggage, smiling when they get back to the point at which they entered. Some just stand on the side and watch people go by; a metaphor for watching life pass before their eyes. It really doesn’t matter what we do while on it, or so we think; it moves us forward nonetheless.

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An idiom is defined as "an expression in the use of language that is peculiar to itself".

The word "heart" apprears in many such idioms:

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