Autumn executed a hostile takeover in Seattle this year. One September afternoon my family was enjoying a sunny picnic at one of the many lakes around the city, and the next we were enveloped in a heavy marine layer that blew in from the Pacific and parked itself at the foothills of the Cascade ... Read More >>
gratitude
The Happiness Quotient
I recently watched a documentary on Amazon Prime Video called: Happy. It featured real-life stories of people around the world who, despite their circumstances, live happy lives. Something about the ideas presented in the show lingered in my thoughts for days. If happiness depends on our lives ... Read More >>
Seeking Light
I live in the northwestern half of Washington State in a land of tall trees and cold seas where, for a few weeks a year, I feel dangerously close to slipping into a darkness-filled slump. With the addition of low-slung clouds and the threat of rain, the days feel deceptively short and the nights ... Read More >>
The Kids’ Table
My family’s Thanksgiving feast changes each year as different faces grace the table. People move away, pass away, get married, and age, and squirrelly children become vibrant young adults. For as long as I can remember, my parents have welcomed and embraced anyone who walked through their front ... Read More >>
Camino Epilogue: World’s End
For many years a stand-in for the little bird that captured my son’s heart and brought light into our life has traveled with me everywhere I go. For the first time, as I gazed at the cathedral in Santiago, it became clear that it was time to pass her on to another pilgrim in this life. Frightful and ... Read More >>
Camino: Day 9.5 – Seeing with the Heart
Over 20 years ago my mom walked the Camino with three of her best friends. I was 29 at the time, raising a young family with no idea what life had in store for me. Each September after that, those same four women traveled together. And each year as I listened to the tales of their current adventure, ... Read More >>
Camino: Day 9 – First Sight
Our first glimpse from Monte do Gozo of the Santiago Cathedral in the city below brought tears. I found a beautiful spot to leave the Galician farmer's walnuts where they will have a stunning view of the city in the distance. Five more kilometers to go and the pilgrims are gathering en mass. We will ... Read More >>