Blog

The effects of nature’s qualities on health are not only spiritual and emotional but physical and neurological. I have no doubt that they reflect deep changes in the brain’s physiology, and perhaps even its structure. Dr. Oliver Sacks
Read More

As I observe her many years of living fully I see that the attributes of ageing well, are similar to living well with illness.
Read More

How truly amazing that anything will survive because it is too cold or too hot, or there is too much or too little rain. And yet survive it does...
Read More

There are multi-coloured threads, all with a hint of gold weaving their way in and out of our circles of influence. The tapestry becomes rich, meaningful and beautiful.
Read More

"Go and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious mistakes, and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here." Neil Gaiman
Read More

We can become a "moment spotter," one who notices the opportunities to make a moment special, for someone else and consequently for ourselves.
Read More

Illness can provide a wake-up call. We can use illness as an opportunity to get down to business with living.
Read More

"Don't squander the 15 minutes," Dr. Heather Palmer declares; see all the things you can do. Time deceives us and we often think we need much bigger blocks of it to do anything.
Read More

We would be a sorry lot if we spent our days fretting about all the things that might and could go wrong. And we aren’t better off if we think only good things should happen to us.
Read More

Currently there is a fascinating 10 year study being carried out by the National Institute of Health on the power of music to heal.
Read More

As Randy Pausch adds "Never, ever underestimate the importance of having fun."
Read More

"All too often we cannot bring ourselves to say No when we want to and know we should." William Ury
Read More

If we don't pay attention or only notice all that is wrong, so much of our lives disappear into the background, unnoticed and unappreciated. When we pay attention to the support we receive our world expands and we have more fun.
Read More

I believe that this kind of caring is essential and particularly important for anyone with a chronic condition. If that is you and you don't have it, ask others for recommendations. Turn over every stone to find it. It can change everything.
Read More

Happiness that depends on what you acquire or become is only conditional happiness, not true happiness.
Read More

Humour, from my understanding and experience boosts our spirits, if not our immune system. Granted, there is so much we don’t know for sure, but we all seem to benefit when we can have a good laugh. Funnily enough, we don’t all laugh at the same things.
Read More

It is important to seek out what you need. Sometimes the locked door opens, even a crack, and allows some light to get in. Sometimes it doesn’t, and yet, our efforts and the efforts of others keep us from being alone.
Read More

Let’s end our year not just counting our blessings or emphasizing what we neglected, but noticing the things we actually got right. Let’s encourage each other along, including ourselves.
Read More

This season is not joyful for everyone. There are many where the lights and good cheer exacerbate their deeply personal sorrows. I am thinking of you, in particular, as I write this post.
Read More

Several years ago, a new friend was dismayed that I had a real tree in my home at Christmas. “It must be a very small one,” she commented. “No,” I said. “It is always very tall and beautiful.” There was silence.
Read More

Kintsugi repairs the brokenness and the ageing of the vessel in a way that makes the container even more beautiful and valuable than it was prior to being broken. Peter Mayer a folk musician from Minnesota wrote a beautiful song that refers to the beauty and metaphor of this art."
Read More

With Earth beset by conflict, climate change, pollution, and other ills, the best-selling author asks: What better time to be hopeful?
Read More

After many decades of living I now aim to reclaim the spirit of “no rushing.”
Read More

Ichigo Ichie - A once in a lifetime chance of you and I to be together, in this particular way. The implication is that every such occasion is a treasured moment, and treated as such. Nothing is taken for granted.
Read More

It doesn’t mean everyone is helpful. It means that when things go wrong, kind people always appear on the scene, wherever you are. Even in the middle of bustling and busy New York City. Even when we are by ourselves, we are not alone.
Read More

Truth is, life is short. What do you really have to lose by putting it out there - who you are and what you want to do. Failure is always part of the package when we try new things and being willing to risk failure is a passport to living fully.
Read More

“A trim tab is the tiny, trailing part of a ship's rudder. Slight pressure on the trim tab moves the rudder, which in turn directs the ship. We are all trim tabs, tiny pivots affecting the overall direction of humanity. As Fuller advised, it is time to take a long view. Zoom out, look at where we've been and where we might be going. See it? Now choose your path and act accordingly.” Rabbi Rami Shapiro speaking about Buckminister Fuller
Read More

“At one time or another, everyone loses something. We lose loved ones. We lose our health. We lose our glasses. We lose our memories. We lose our money. We lose our keys. We lose our socks. We lose life itself. We have to come to terms with this reality. Sooner or later, all is lost; we just don’t always know when it will happen." Lama Surya Das
Read More

With extreme exceptions, I believe that people are doing the best they can, with what they know, in the circumstances in which they find themselves.
Read More

The truth is, life gives us challenges on a regular basis. We use our wit, skill and all the help we can get to take action on the things we can do something about. But don't stop there. Use all those skills to find precious moments of surprise and delight waiting outside your door.
Read More

We are all well practiced in knowing what is wrong. Historically, being aware of the negative and all the possible things that could go wrong was part of our survival kit.
Read More

There is a tendency, as we live longer or have health challenges, to gravitate towards safety. Sadly, what is considered risk free continues to diminish as time goes on.
Read More

This advice from Psychiatrist, Dr. Shoma Morita, means that when you find yourself in difficult circumstances and there is the possibility of taking any action to relieve or influence those circumstances, then do so.
Read More

How many days have you lived Nana? How many hours? Yikes...something to think about.
Read More

Nine years ago, I was happily preparing for my last treatment at the Cancer Centre. “Finally, it will be over,” I said to myself. A celebration seemed in order and I was making plans. The week before this auspicious date, however, I was given pause for thought.
Read More

Barbara Kingsolver teaching herself joy, over and over again.
Read More

Wabi-Sabi – the beauty of imperfection, impermanence and incomplete.
Read More

When we face the unexpected and the difficult, we all have resources to "bear it." As tough as it can be, let's never forget this important truth.
Read More

Dr. Jinroh Itami, who developed Meaningful Life Therapy specifically for cancer patients, used travel as one of his non-medical tools. He famously took a group of Japanese cancer patients to climb Mt Blanc three decades ago, long before strenuous exercise was encouraged in cancer circles.
Read More

As I sit on a bluff above Georgia strait, with the city of Vancouver in the distance, I am thinking about the concept of blame. There are so many reasons to blame another. So many things to blame as to the cause of our illnesses, failures and disappointments. And yet…
Read More

Last week I accompanied a friend and my grandchildren to the Museum of Nature to view the special exhibit on the brain. Of all the marvels this wondrous organ provides, the surprising fact that has stuck with me is the effect of even mild dehydration on the brain.
Read More

We all, at our core, are bold and brave and have something original to contribute. why not do so while we have the chance.
Read More

We show up for each other, wholeheartedly, and we learn on the job by paying attention as we live our lives.
Read More

Yesterday, my friend Patricia, sent me a link to an article by the well-known writer’s writer, Natalie Goldberg. The article is called Old Age is not Guaranteed and is an excerpt from her new book called Let the Thundering World Come Home.
Read More

Set aside sometime everyday to spend with something that you love.
Read More

"Never resist a generous impulse." Words spoken by the Dalai Lama at a conference I attended in Vancouver 2004.
Read More

There isn't much to laugh at when it comes to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and so many other painful, life threatening, and on-going difficult illnesses that life throws in our way. One of my teachers, Dr. Itami, uses laughter as part of his healing prescription for cancer patients.
Read More

Woody Allan, along with others, has been quoted as saying that 80% of success is just showing up. There is a kernel of truth there but I suggest that showing up wholeheartedly may be the defining factor.
Read More

I read a book, as a young 20 year old living in Montreal, called Sing While There is Voice Left. It was written by a theologian and I remember nothing specific about it, other than the title. The title, however, has stuck with me my entire life.
Read More

Dr. Itami's guidelines are available and helpful to anyone dealing with a difficult illness, including caregivers.
Read More