friday quotation

"Don't keep asking what you missed!  Show up so you don't miss out on life." 

(Some thoughts that I passed along to my students...maybe they'll hear it some day.) 

friday quotation

"gratitude, not understanding, is the secret to joy and equanimity."

- Anne Lamott

a bowl of abundance

I've written before how I'm a little obsessed with bowls.  And eating my meals out of bowls.  Which happens to be perfect when so many of your meals are soups (fall and winter), salads (spring and summer), or mixes of veggies and a grain.  Or at least I think it's perfect.  And evidently, I'm not the only one.  I happened upon this blog that mentioned a "winter abundance bowl" (pictured at the right...from the same website...my picture did not look appetizing...and it was delicious!) and, of course, I had to try it.  I loved the name first - the idea of a bowl of abundance, which is how I feel about every meal that I eat out of a bowl.  And then I loved the ingredients - broccoli, brown rice, lentils, sweet potato, purple cabbage (which I happened to have from my farmshare...it was meant to be!!).  You literally make the entire dish in one pot - love that, too. And just when I thought that was enough goodness, I read the final part of the dish - an amazing garlic-ginger pumpkin seed sauce.  I was a bit skeptical but OH MY GOSH.  It is delicious...and way too much for this one dish.  Which also seems just right so that I can have some left over.  It is indeed a warm bowl of abundance of all sorts on what is going to be a very chilly night in Austin - where again, I'm blessed with the abundance of heat, a warm place to lay my head, and a full belly.

welcome 2014!

For many years, I didn't set New Year's resolutions at all.  Then I switched to New Year's intentions.  My latest version of New Year's "non-resolutions" is choosing a word for the year.  Something that will guide me.  Something that I will put out into the universe so that it might come back to me and help me live the life that I want to be living more fully. Something that is like an intention and resolution all rolled up in one. 
My word for 2014 is courage.  The courage to try new things - whether it's in yoga class, in relationships, in my hobbies, in my job...just having the courage to step up, put myself out there, try something new.  The courage to take risks - to do things I've never done, to risk failing and succeeding, to recognize that growth happens when we put ourselves and our hearts and our beliefs on the line.  The courage to speak my peace - to use my voice, to stand up for others and to stand up for myself, to speak with compassion and confidence, to not swallow my words because I'm afraid I will disappoint others.  The courage to love more boldly - even if it means getting hurt somewhere along the way.  The courage to say "yes".  And the courage to say "no".  I think there are going to be endless opportunities to be bold and courageous this year...here's to this new adventure!  May 2014 bring joy, laughter, good health, peace, and love...in abundance...to one and all!

goodbye 2013...

...the last fire of 2013...and so rounds out the year.  I've been looking for the right adjective to describe 2013, and I can't quite put my finger on that.  Instead, I've been focusing on all of the things that 2013 was filled with: love, generosity, service, travel, quiet, stillness, rest, growth, creativity, change, exploration, reflection, risks, vulnerability, laughter, tears, family, friends, swims, walks, yoga, hikes, disappointment, challenges, loss, blessings, revelations, good books, live music, more movies, delicious meals and exciting food creations, deepening of friendships, opportunities...and so much more.  Here's to 2014.  I have a feeling that there's even more to come - looking forward to it!

Christmas quotation

 “And when we give each other Christmas gifts in His name, let us remember that He has given us the sun and the moon and the stars, and the earth with its forests and mountains and oceans--and all that lives and move upon them. He has given us all green things and everything that blossoms and bears fruit and all that we quarrel about and all that we have misused--and to save us from our foolishness, from all our sins, He came down to earth and gave us Himself.” 

- Sigrid Undset

friday quotation

It might seem cliche for today to share a quotation about Nelson Mandela - just a day after his passing - but it also seems wrong not to acknowledge him. I love what Mark Gevisser had to say as he reflected on Mandela's passing:

The words "Nelson Mandela is dead" feel strange in my mouth today, almost impossible to say, given the unique way he was both martyred and canonised during his lifetime...  He is a peak of moral authority, rising above the soulless wasteland of the 20th century; he is a universal symbol for goodness and wisdom, for the ability to change, and the power of reconciliation. 

May we all learn something from the legacy that Nelson Mandela has left us.  As a colleague said today, "we are all better off for Nelson Mandela having passed through our world.  I have very few heroes, but he is one of them."