The DreamTender

"Tidal waves are usually significant during times when one feels a bit overwhelmed," Bambi told me.

A few weeks ago I had a strange water dream. 

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My 14-Year-Old Writing Instructor

It took several hours for Guadalupe to look at me. I focused on the iridescent green shadow on her lids while her espresso colored eyes held down the floor.

We were both participating in a fiction and non-fiction workshop, given by the non-profit organization WriteGirl. 

Founded by songwriter, vocalist and poet Keren Taylor in 2001, WriteGirl promotes confidence and self-expression through creative writing to empower inner-city, at-risk teen girls in Los Angeles.

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Faith in Enough

Part of my morning routine includes going back to bed with a cup of tea and a small snack as I read, write in my journal, and meditate to start my day.

I always share one of my raw almonds with Tula, my Miniature Pinscher, who is snuggled up next to me (yes, both my dogs sleep on the bed with me).

One morning this week Tula was begging for an almond. The rule is, I eat first, and then she gets an almond. I think dogs interpret that as an alpha assertion, but I just consider it good manners.

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Stargazing Lessons, Part II

Have you ever re-read a favorite book and resonated with something entirely different than what you received the first time? I think that's because we, and life, are always changing.

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A Refresher in Stargazing

I love Martha Beck. I think she's a genius. Not just because she went to Harvard and can use $5 words like sesquipedalian (which means given to using long words), but because she combines her intellect, experience as a life coach, and most delightful of all, her wonderful sense of humor to impart life lessons.

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Unconditional Love and Wet Noses

I loved reading Kelee Katillac's story Pet Project in this month's GUIDEPOSTS. The timing was perfect.

My dear friend Janice just lost her cat Lucy to cancer, and on Monday night of this week my cousin Brent called in tears because his adorable miniature poodle puppy, Onyx, had been hit by a car.

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What Are You Thinking and Growing?

It was just before Thanksgiving and I was in Seattle visiting my family. I was staying with a girlfriend who was just getting ready to move. "You can have any of these you want," she said, waving a hand toward a stack of books. "I'm just going to take them to a thrift store."

I noticed some older looking books in the pile and pulled out one with a faded red hard cover.

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The Age of Miracles

One of the things I love about living in Los Angeles is that there are so many great spiritual events to attend. There is such a delicious smorgasbord of spirituality here—so many wonderful teachers committed to the new thought and positive thinking movements either live here or visit frequently to speak or hold seminars—I just feel incredibly fortunate.  

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The Forgiveness Mirror

Ouch.

My friend Alice was angry.

Really angry.

I had apologized for my behavior, and thought that was enough, but I guess it wasn't. I didn't understand the level of her anger, and maybe she didn't either.

I felt beat up and dove right into self-pity, telling other friends about the situation later and feeling sorry for myself. Wow, I'm really playing the victim role here, I thought to myself. I hate it when other people do that. I wonder how I can get out of this?

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Squirrel Philosophy for the New Year

I have a "pet" squirrel I feed walnuts to in the fork of a tree trunk in my front yard.

When she first stood up and flicked her tail in our big magnolia tree this past June, it was clear she was nursing babies.

So of course I wanted to make sure she was getting enough to eat (yes, I compulsively feel the need to feed—friends, families, and even squirrels! I'm a nurturer, what can I say…)

She must have been hungry, because she took the nuts right from my fingers, and didn't seem to be scared of me at all. 

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