There’s a small post on the bulletin board at Martin’s (that soup kitchen I told you about?), which I looked at again this week. It says: “It’s probably the people who are the hardest to love who need it the most” My first thought when I read it was “that feels right, that makes sense.”… Continue reading Hardest to Love
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So Much For the Candy Dish…
Circumstances have caused me to be in and out of a number of “corporate type” offices lately, something I haven’t needed to do in a while. Not so long ago, in my previous incarnation as “le businessman”, I was in and out of such places a lot. Even as soon as I walked through those… Continue reading So Much For the Candy Dish…
Being Right
“The master resides in the center of the circle, while yes and no pursue each other around the circumference.” These words from Lao Tzu have been on my mind a lot these days while observing this so-called debate about health care (among other issues) wherein everyone (certain that they’re right of course) is shouting, but no… Continue reading Being Right
He told us he learned compassion FROM HIS MOM
Martin de Porres in San Francisco is a soup kitchen/homeless shelter at which I volunteer on Thursdays. We serve our guests anywhere from 600 – 1000 breakfasts, and then lunches daily. Everyone is welcome, and treated with the utmost respect. It’s my favorite day of the week. Not only does it offer me a weekly… Continue reading He told us he learned compassion FROM HIS MOM
More, On “Advice”
Been thinking about my last blog – specifically on the 4th Delphic precept – “In old age, give good advice”, and about what that means. So, of course, I have some advice to offer. Ha! For The Advice Giver: Stay away (like the plague) from the words: “you should”. As I tell all my coaching… Continue reading More, On “Advice”
Better Than The Gold
I was privileged to visit the “Treasures Of Afganistan” exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum in NYC yesterday. Such a rich display of the amazing cultural heritage of that country – the objects thousands of years old – a wonderful glimpse into the lives of the people of that time and place. Of course, there was… Continue reading Better Than The Gold
An Unfair Exchange
Hi again from Vermont. Wow! Got another full day of sunshine today after lots (and lots) of rain.While observing some birds at our feeder above the waterfall, I was moved to write these lines. (If you’re groaning now, not to worry, the poem’s really short): Patient waters bind the spirit while paring the rock. Warm… Continue reading An Unfair Exchange
Did Socrates Get It Right?
I Saw this cartoon a while back in the New Yorker. Jeez, here’s a guy who’s fine, by all accounts seems happy, even to himself, but he’s not OK with that – gotta question that too. So, Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living. This guy clearly believes Socrates was right. Do… Continue reading Did Socrates Get It Right?
Still A Man
There’s a path through the woods from our cabin in the forests of Northern VT. which ends at a swimming hole fed by a waterfall. The site is so beatiful on so many levels, that I don’t have the words, so I won’t even try. For 33 summers, I go there to celebrate my life,… Continue reading Still A Man
Letting Go (The “Biggie”)
A while back, while chatting with Pam (my sweet, wise coaching and spiritual teacher) at the weekly SF insight gathering, she asked me: “So Michael, what’s up for you these days?” I answered her:”Still working on letting go”, to which she replied: “Yeah, that’s the biggie, isn’t it?” HA! No kidding! In all ways, it’s… Continue reading Letting Go (The “Biggie”)