She came to this place for the first time, to a cabin overlooking the lake, when she was not quite twenty. She was with a family she had known

As summer draws down into fall and many of us prepare to get back to business as usual, I’d like to share with you some words of wisdom from writers,

My last post was a lamentation for a world  “that is too much with us…laying waste our lives.” With gratitude, I write this one as a psalm, sitting lakeside in

                        Last month our flight landed in Boston on the summer solstice. It was the longest day of the

On Saturdays the New York Times includes several short paragraphs  highlighting some good news items from the previous week.  That’s where I turn first, before tackling the rest of the

Is April the cruellest month?  T.S. Eliot seemed to think so. “April is the cruellest month, breeding/Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing/Memory and desire, stirring/Dull roots with spring rain.”

Fred Rogers first came through his front door and into our homes fifty years ago.  He put on his sneakers and his cardigan and welcomed everyone to his neighborhood.  My

Andres directed his flashlight into the belly of a large-leafed tropical plant.  The leaves splayed out like a fountain, protecting a doll-sized cup at the base.  He invited each of

Flora came to the United States from Central America when she was 25 years old.  Left behind were her mother, three sisters and a younger brother, as well as a

The children were tumbling all over each other in their excitement. Tonight was Christmas Eve and soon they would be going to the big cathedral for the Christmas service.  It

This is the season of anticipation.  Children wait for Santa. On these long, dark nights, we look forward to the sun’s slow turn north. In my tradition, we await a