I recently received the infamous “box of childhood" we all eventually get when our parents clean out and downsize and decide we have reached the age where they should no longer be storing “our stuff.” The box that is chock full of photos, ribbons, and report cards—all those odd yet very tangible reminders of what your life was really like as a kid. I found this reminder of my time as a Girl Scout, which is kinda funny - I do not remember that fondly , a free spirit from birth I never have liked to be told what to wear , what to do or how to do it . When I saw these pictures and handwritten notes from the troop leader it made me giggle that even then at the age of 10 I was doing my own thing .The majority of the troop was in knee socks and short sleeve dresses and I am sock less , wearing clogs and a jumper with a turtleneck . I also appreciate the fact that I was getting badges and awarded a ribbon for getting" second most votes" for the second friendliest girl at the "camporee" ...who knew!Grateful for the reminder that my free spirit and sense of self has been firmly intact all these years and I survived girl scouts by earning full collection of crazy badges.
Recently, this adorable fairy house appeared on my morning route. I saw it tucked away in a tree overlooking the bay. It was clearly constructed with great imagination, care, and love. I especially appreciate the popsicle stick grate thoughtfully placed on the carved out window on the up cycled kleenex box. It boasts a charming full bedroom suite complete with bedding and a leaf chair.
So grateful for the being that created this and lovingly placed it here so the fairies could be super comfy and enjoy the view.
I have never cared too much about celebrities or thought of myself as a passionate bird lover. So who knew I would be so excited to meet and hang out with my new favorite star—Morro the brown pelican, Since I moved to the coast, one of my favorite things is to head out in my kayak into the pelicans’ habitat and "lunchroom” as they fly over and feast within yards of me. Morro is featured in the film Pelican Dreams, and his story is fascinating.
Morro suffered a debilitating wing injury in 2009 and was taken in by Willow Tree Wildlife, an amazing wildlife rescue organization lovingly run by people who planned and hoped to rehabilitate Morro and release him back into his ocean world. Morro has a wing disability resulting from an injury and can no longer fly. He now lives in a magical place with a variety of animal friends and seems to be quite happy.
Bill shared with us that when it’s migration season, it shows in his behavior: he perches high on a pole and flaps his wings as if he knows it’s time for his summer vacation and seems happiest with his new life as long as he has fun playmates. We witnessed Morro with his goose girlfriend Lucy; he appears to be quite into her in his quirky male pelican way, and they were pretty sweet to watch. Morro has quite an interesting role in the world now; he is now living his life as an educator and has touched thousands of people. He has starred in a film that has been shown in numerous schools and state parks and helps bring to life the hazards that pelicans face in the wild.
So grateful to spend quality time with a pelican and to get to know Dani and Bill Nicholson. They are not only amazing beings; they care enough about the world to dedicate their lives to lovingly rehabilitating wildlife and addressing issues that impact our environment.
Living in a small, funky coastal town, you never know who you might meet. We have forged some great friendships with complete strangers who have had incredible life journeys. One of our favorites is Dorothy Rooney, a high-energy, super-sparkly soul who has lived 96 years of full-on joy and unimaginable adventures.
Today we were lucky enough to be seated next to her and her amazing partner Liz at breakfast at the local hangout. Lucky for us, Dorothy was decked out in full regalia with her WASP wings and her Congressional Medal of Honor ID badge. They had intended to go to the Memorial Day service at the local cemetery, , unfortunately the dates got mixed up so she didn't get to mingle as she had planned . Dorothy, with her usual enthusiastic smile and twinkle, declared that she was looking for adoration today and had hoped that somebody would notice the hard earned WASP wings pinned to her shirt. Of course, we already had and were thrilled to run into her under such auspicious circumstances. As always, she was beyond inspiring, sharing her life experiences as a pioneering female pilot at the age of 25.
So grateful to have Dorothy and Liz in our universe and to be reminded of all the amazing women that have paved the way with such grace, gusto and relentless courage. Most importantly Dorothy, please know and remember you will always be not only adored for your service but for who you are.
Dorothy, you are a truly inspiring hero and pioneer, and we wish you much adoration and appreciation today and every day.
boxofbunnies
These are the caring hands and one of the snuggly "grand bunnies" of the amazing Anna Deis . I was lucky enough to stop by the farm on a few occasions, just a few days after they were born. Anna was beyond adorable in her excitement and had clearly put a lot of love and preparation into her role as "grand bunny mother.” Her enthusiasm was delightful and infectious.
I will always remember her this way, which even makes me smile as we grieve for Anna, who was recently taken to heaven. She left tragically and unexpectedly while she was cycling. There is some comfort knowing she was doing something she loved, with someone she really loved, her fiancee Jason.
Today is Anna's wedding day, and she was certain to be a breathtaking bride while marrying the love of her life on a beautiful sunny day on the coast. It is incredibly heartbreaking that this will not come true; the grief felt by her family and a very large tribe is palpable. We miss her glow and her pure delight in living each moment.
The sweetest synchronicity I have found is this very inspiring Facebook post that Anna did a month ago—a lovingly written and perfect message for today. Grateful to you, Anna, for the amazing person you continue to be. for the sweet reminder of the joy found in a box of bunnies and, most importantly, for taking nothing for granted.
One of my favorite people will be celebrating his 93rd birthday tomorrow, and in true style, he will be having his party in the ICU as he recovers from a "bump in the road," which is what he would probably call it.
Emil Dockter is a total bright spot and one of a kind; he radiates joy and continues to be a huge support to my parents and family.
I will always appreciate a fun dive into the conversational waters of chakra healing, Hindu deities, and other random stuff we covered one night while eating great cheese and drinking wine. Emil is a truly inspiring student of life and a believer in the power of soul connection, still writing books, teaching, and creating avenues for authentic communication. We need more people like Emil in the world.
Happy Birthday, Emil! I am so grateful to have you in my life!
fathersdaypost
Father’s Day is here again, and as I sit down to write this, I realize I may know my dad better right now than I have ever known him before. We have always had a strong connection, and our time together as main caregivers for mom’s final journey forever bonded us as a tight team.
This is a recent photo of dad and his friend "Bear” at a celebration we just had for mom in California.
Dad and Bear have been friends since 1957, seem to perfectly intersect at critical points in their lives, and have a crazy shared passion for Nebraska football.
It was pretty sweet watching them together and realizing the history and life events they have been through together, both professionally and personally. I am starting to really appreciate and understand the whole “circle of life” thing. I've spent a lot more quality time with him and know many of his friends now, as well as much more about him as a human. It’s been touching and inspiring to see dad graciously receive love and support from the large circle of good friends he has made throughout his lifetime. He is focused on random acts of kindness these days and helping whoever crosses his path in meaningful ways. I am delighted to witness the scope of his generosity, thoughtfulness, and kindness.
Happy fathers day and thank you for being the model of grace, strength with the perfect scoop of vulnerability, its delightful to know who you are as a person outside of "my dad"• you are a gift to the world and I am grateful to have the opportunity to cheer you on as the next step in your beautiful story unfolds.
It has been a very long week since my mom left for heaven, but only one week. As I finish going through photos for her "life celebration service," I keep coming back to this one. I love this photo and believe it represents their marriage and relationship beautifully.
This photo was taken about 6 weeks into a 7 week intensive naturopathic protocol to treat her very aggressive cancer, which, unknown to us at the time, was rapidly taking over her body. As she grew weaker and needed more support than she wanted, they proved to be an even more amazing team.
I believe the sweetest thing about this photo is she is walking on her own, although weak and a little wobbly, and her dad is holding her up gently by her pants. He is letting her be on her own, yet ready to support her in any way he can, and they did that beautifully for each other for 52 and a half years.
This experience has been a gift wrapped in sandpaper, as I learned more about my parents, my family, and myself during this journey than at any other time in my life.
It was a privilege and delight to support her and them as a couple and I am incredibly grateful that I had these last two months with them.
Happy one week in heaven, mom—we miss you more than you could imagine!
I went home to visit my parents three weeks ago for a seemingly casual visit, there was nothing on the horizon to worry about. As it turned out, I was there when my mom, after not feeling great the previous weekend, went to a routine OR appointment which would prove to be not so routine, and after swift action from an efficient team of ORs and many tests and procedures, less than two days later we were given a stage 4 cancer diagnosis with tumors in the pancreas, liver, and lymph nodes.
Of course, we were all in shock, as mom is known for extreme self-care and is in great shape, and yikes, this is serious news. I extended my visit, and our newly banded and very determined tribe of 3 (my parents and I) began a thorough tour of the Ors offices with little good news about treatment options, total overstimulation of information, and the consistent reminder to move fast on treatment. My brother had also planned to be there over the next week—another crazy coincidence—and we pooled our family strengths, knowledge, and incredibly supportive medical connections to move into action with a sense of humor and grace.
As the information continued to unfold and connect us, we were able to find a great doctor and team at a holistic cancer clinic with a treatment plan and protocol that felt good and right for her. Looking back, it all lined up so quickly and powerfully that there is no doubt now that it should have been any other way.
Mom is now in her second week of an intense and complex treatment that, to greatly simplify, creates conditions in the body that cancer cannot survive and thrive in. A huge part of the success of this protocol comes from nutrition and juicing. I believe this label says it all: “Not for Sissies (Hardcore)” Mom is drinking 4 of these a day, very strong I could barely get down half a bottle. Yes, that label captures not only the taste and strength of this very potent microjuice but also the experience of being diagnosed with cancer, weighing all the options, and moving forward to take responsibility for your healing.
The photo above shows mom on day 5 with a full juice in front of her, an empty one beside it, and a sweet "bring it on" kind of smile. I bet she will not like this photo, but I believe it captures the experience perfectly. I remain inspired and impressed by her gusto, her open mind, and her spirit towards the whole experience; it has shown and taught me a lot.
I am incredibly grateful for all the loving support we have received on this journey and that I was there and able to be a part of what will no doubt prove to be a powerful healing experience for mom and our entire family.
I have always been a big fan of parades, and the more "small town creative" the better in my book. The annual Christmas parade in my new world of Los Osos, California, was themed "Christmas Under Construction" this year and made light of a current nuisance we are experiencing, our little slice of coastal heaven is undergoing some serious street surgery for sewer installation, and the construction is creating a bit of chaos everywhere. It seems we have embraced the inconvenience and are celebrating our progress towards completion soon.
I was pretty inspired by the creative use of standard everyday construction icons throughout the parade and thought these two were quite something. Who knew a horse could be turned into a unicorn by a strategically placed traffic cone and another horse decked out in full parade regalia fashioned out of construction vests and dazzling with a construction tape tail bow?
Grateful to be part of a creative community with a well placed sense of humor and a new twist on a holiday parade.
One of my favorite things about Oregon is the surprise and delight found in little doses everywhere. I have seen several varieties of bike racks covered in crocheted granny squares, artisan-upholstered bus stops, and many other cool examples of creative expression in unusual places.
This is the most inspiring and original so far: the Japanese maple in the heart "sweater" to protect it from the cold Oregon winter, with its fancy matching slipcovered planter and trashcan, and its neighbor tree decked out in rainbow stripes.
You have to have to stop and appreciate the tremendous effort, the TLC and the soul it took to do this, grateful for the anonymous knitter for the sweet surprise and perfect sense of humor ... after all every tree deserves a heart "sweater"”
I woke up Sunday feeling kind of off, but I made my way into the dance studio as usual anyway to move with Kari Winn, one of my favorite teachers. Kari has this incredible gift and always brings the right insight, wrapped in the right package, at exactly the right time. Kari created the intention to celebrate Memorial Day, and our movement today would honor Zach Sobiech and celebrate his gift to the world.
Zach Sobiech was 14 when diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. Zach underwent many surgeries and chemotherapy treatments. At 17 and with only months to live, Zach turned to music and posted a video on YouTube to say goodbye to his family and friends. Zach's song, “Clouds'” went viral and has touched millions, 'Clouds' is available on iTunes and other online music stores. The proceeds benefit the Zach Sobiech Research Fund for Children's Cancer Research.
Zach Sobiech was 18 when he left this world on May 20, 2013. Our hearts and prayers are with his family and friends. We are forever touched by his wisdom and his story Thank you for sharing your life and music with us, Zach.
We celebrated your life as we danced and bounced around our beautiful space with big joy and arms up up up, rare sun streamed through the windows and Zach's catchy yet incredibly profound song Clouds blasted, I am certain he was feeling it . Grateful as always for Kari for continuing your tight focus on all the amazing things happening in the world and giving us space and freedom of movement to come together.
I just returned from an inspiring and pretty magical trip to Scandinavia, and a good friend asked me for the highlights of my trip. There were many, of course, and as I was sorting through photos on the long journey home, this experience really made me smile, an afternoon at Louisiana, an amazing museum of modern art in the Danish countryside outside of Copenhagen.
Everything about the place, the location on the water, the space, and the vibe is perfect. I happily stumbled upon a great art show with lots of rare Warhol and many other great pop art icons. Very inspiring indeed, but I have a passion for kids’ art and love watching them create with totally open minds. I found pure joy in the kids’ wing, especially this great space and this impressive wall of paper/scissor art.
I could not resist and had to sit in the pink chair next to my new friend and make a few just to represent my ever-present inner 5-year-old, grateful to be reminded of the power and beauty that the simple tools of scissors, colored paper, and a glue stick can create.
We are winding down on our first full, sunny, beautiful weekend in Portland in months; everybody is outside—kids in yards in inflatable pools, runners literally everywhere—and we were all out seeking and relishing every drop of sunshine we could get. Gardens are lush and happy in full bloom and there are daffodils dotted all over, today the seemingly endless grey rainy skies even seem almost worth it. I have never been much of a weather person since I spent most of my life in California there was no reason to be, but once again the contrast brings an entire new lens.
As I was out on a long awaited sunny run this afternoon, I found this incredibly sweet yard "poetry post" featuring "Daffodils," a poem by William Wordsworth. There are two spring poems available in printed copies to take on the go and get your poetry fix. A very unexpected and perfect Easter treat. I am incredibly grateful for a taste of spring and a thoughtful neighbor in Portland.
As I was completing a project in India recently, I had a unique opportunity to witness the Monday morning arrival and energy in a corporate office in a radically different culture. I sat in the lobby early for a meeting and watched the usual rush of somewhat hesitant people swipe their badges and dash upstairs to begin their week. There's nothing different about that.
Soon a man arrived with a huge smile and a box of flowers, marigold garlands, incense, and prayer beads and began a ritual at the abstract Ganesha altar in the corner at the base of the stairs. Ganesha is one of the deities widely revered as the Remover of Obstacles and more generally as the Lord of New Beginnings and the Lord of Obstacles. I can’t think of any office that could not use that fresh perspective each day!
It was beautifully fragrant, and instantly the energy of the office and the way the new rush of people entered the building and started their week was calmer and more aware as they each stopped and took a moment with the altar.
Grateful to experience the Monday morning ritual in a different world and take note of the importance to stop and take a breath and a moment each morning.
Fred, my first true love and one of my oldest friends, is a human magnet for animals in need of love and better homes. It seems they just "find him" on his daily runs and random adventures in the city.
Over our 30 years of friendship, I have witnessed many loving rescues, and this is one of the sweetest. Tiny kitten, Huckleberry, 2 months old(ish) was living in a truck yard by the LA river. Thanks to Fred's special nurturing, ongoing feeding, a sweet ad for "durable" kitty, a random act of kindness, and the amazing power of Facebook, Huckleberry is now safe, happy, and healthy and hanging out in the grass in a cat foster home while waiting for new parents. Maybe it’s you?
I woke up to the terrifying sound of my huge oak tree whipping against my roof and house in the sudden severe windstorms we had in Los Angeles this week. I got up and kept an anxious watch (but wanted to hide under the bed) as the power lines snapped and sparked around the street and the extreme wind gusts made intense howling sounds I hope never to hear again. In the morning, the entire neighborhood and area were out early surveying our homes, yards, and cars and openly sharing our experiences of fear from the night before, even though many were total strangers that just happened to live on our street.
Many had extreme damage. Huge trees were literally uprooted and now lay across cars, houses, and streets, and it was a shocking and emotional scene. We all skipped our usual morning routines (no power makes that pretty easy) and got to work on cleaning up with a sense of comradery and purpose I had not experienced before. It turned out to be an incredibly sweet day and experience despite the seeming chaos and devastation, and it still fascinates me that within this random weather twist there was a huge perspective shift for all. I am grateful for the simple reminder that we really are all in this together and appreciate the magic and convenience of electricity in a way you only can after you lose it for awhile.
by Dr John Talevich
At the beginning of May, I found myself in Seattle participating in Antioch University's 35th Gala. My daughter-in-law, Jessica, is an intern in their art therapy program and had asked me to design a mandala for the faculty to construct at the event; she also asked if I might have a few pieces of art to submit to the art show. Having said yes to both requests, here I was, surrounded by some 400 folks and having a good time celebrating the university's success. The Susan Wallis-designed art form which was used in the faculty event became a stunning piece of work, now belonging to the school's permanent collection and on display at the university.
As the evening wore on, and the crowds began to dwindle, I was face to face with a young lady of a certain age (I don't want to insult her) who may well still be playing with dolls. She asked me with clear eyes and a clearer intent: "Is that yours?" pointing to a piece called Piggyback Frog, I said, "Yes, that's one of mine," She continued, "It's my favorite," while her eyes widened. "Well," I replied, "if it doesn't sell by the end of the show in a month, you can have it. How about that?" Her mother soon came up and asked me if, in fact, I said what she'd been told. "Yeah, that's what I told her." I gave them my card and told them to call me when the show was over. I did not think further about getting a call.
Well into the first weeks of June, I had heard nothing. Then - a call on my office machine: "Hi John, this is Ruby - do you remember at the … (mother’s voice in the background: “Antioch art show”) … yeah, when we were talking about (Mother again: “your art piece”) … and you said if it didn’t sell that you would (Mother: “talk about it”) …yeah and our number is …. bye”. Wait!! Don’t hang up! I can’t make out that number!!
A looong pause later, Ruby's mother got on the line and added, "Hi Dr. John, this is Ruby's mom, Amy, and we met you at the Gala art show. We were wondering if the piece had sold. We hope for your sake that it has, but if not, well, Ruby has thought about it every day since the show, she just loves that piece! Would you give us a call? Our number AGAIN is ----. Bye!"
A few days later, I was able to contact Amy and shortly thereafter, the piece was picked up. It now resides where, I suspect, it was always intended to be~ deep within little Ruby's heart.
mom
I just returned from a sort of retreat where we were asked to identify our core values, strengths, etc., and my "aha” moment was that creativity has been a consistent thread in all areas and stages of my life.
I was encouraged from an early age to be a creative free spirit by both my parents, and I was a daily witness to the joys of creative bliss from my mom.
The evolution and cycles of her creative exploration and mastery range from a pottery studio in our garage where she taught and whipped out an endless array of dishes, vases and slab art to making three guitars from scratch and then learning to play them. When mom was studying interior design, our dining room table became the hub of the house as she built impeccable 3D scale models of houses and assorted other things.
I always had the best, most perfectly detailed dioramas for my book reports, and the book "Free to be You and Me” was my childhood manual, and I still value and appreciate the lesson and philosophy today.
I am sure I don't tell you enough. Mom, I love you, and I appreciate and am so grateful for the gift of creativity and inspiration you have blessed me with—much more than you will ever know.
Happy Mothers day
by Elliott S. Dacher M.D.
I have this wonderful teacher, my granddaughter. She is a little over two years old. Her mom called the other day to say that little Zoe was waking up at night crying from nightmares and would not sleep in her room. It seems there were cows running all over her room? That would be frightening for any of us.
As I thought about this, I realized that Zoe didn't yet know what a dream was. She did not realize that it was all in her mind and not in her room. So when she was awake, the fear did not go away. The cows were just hiding someplace in her room, perhaps playing peek-a-boo.
Of course, as adults, we all know that nighttime dreams are in the mind, and when we awaken, we do so with a sigh of relief, knowing that dreams are not real but only the product of our imagination.
But as an adult, I similarly act as if my daydreams, whose source is also in my mental imagination, are quite true. My fears, anxieties, judgments, and limitations are a result of my inability to awaken from my adult "dreams," from the over activity of my mental imagination, making the past the present.
One day Zoe will realize that her nighttime dreams are not real. She will be freed from the fears and limitations of her unruly imagination. With grace, perhaps one day I will also be similarly freed from an enslavement to my daydreams and be able to live free in the present moment, as it actually is.
Thank you to my dear teacher, Zoe.