It is funny how the occasion imperceptibly changes, like the light, at an inconstant rate. At any given glance you may see that the dog has rolled over in his sleep, or the trees have lost their leaves. Morning drains inexpressibly into lunchtime, or Christmastime. Overhead the geese are migrating, just as they were the […]
Category: Reflective
Contemplative and reflective posts, musings, and perhaps (sometimes) poetry.
12 Things to be Thankful For
It is Thanksgiving day! I have so many things to be thankful for and take far too much for granted. So today, I’m posting 12 things to be grateful for. 1. I’m thankful for butterflies. While sitting here, there are butterfly wind chimes hanging above me, and I have a butterfly design on a folder […]
No Such Thing As a Small Decision
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle You’re standing in the check-out line and see the headline of a magazine. It’s a favorite actor of yours and he’s broken up with yet another girlfriend. You pick it up, eager to know the details of his life. […]
These Spaces in Between
Airports are non-places. In-between places. You’re not really here but not really there yet. You’ve said goodbye and haven’t yet said hello. At an airport, you’re not quite in the air but not exactly on the ground. Usually, in airports we’re in too much of a hurry to contemplate the liminality of such spaces. It’s […]
The Importance of Being Present as a Writer
The life of a writer seems almost extravagant at times. I don’t mean that I sleep in every morning, wake up only when I feel like it, then walk or drive around in search of inspiration for writing. I don’t spend hours sitting outside an overly expensive coffee shop sipping a mocha latte and writing […]
Reasons Why A Writer Writes
Why do I write? I read a quote some time ago that has stuck somewhere in my mind or heart, or perhaps both. It went something like this: “The act of writing is the act of discovering what you believe.” So much has been said of writing. Probably even more has been written about writing. […]
How to Kill a Mockingbird, a Longing for Belonging, and the Power of Story
A Strange Introduction to Boo Radley The autumn I was 12, my big brother, Emmanuel, invented a name for our neighbor across the street: Boo Radley. The man’s name was actually Doug. Although in his late thirties, he still lived with his mother. Doug had narrow eyes and a strange, perpetual smile. We had been […]
Does Art Have Meaning? (And If So, What Is It?)
In her article, “Beyond the Disciplines: Art without Borders,” author and artist Suzi Gablik mentions the kind of art that has “some worthy agenda outside of itself, and a socially redeeming purpose.” I love that idea, as opposed to art driven by the “professional recognition,” marketplace competition, and “brisk sales” she also mentions — things […]
Bonita Jewel 