Sunday Journal Prompt

“All people are the same; only their habits differ.”

 – Confucius, ancient Chinese teacher and philosopher

On the eve of the new year, I’m thinking a lot about habits. While journaling regularly boosts my mindfulness of the choices I make and how they affect me, I’ve discovered that tracking my habits in an app adds an extra layer of awareness. By taking a few seconds each day to log my daily activity into my phone, I ended up with a solid snapshot of my behavior patterns this month: the good and the bad.

While habit tracker apps are plentiful (http://bzfd.it/2CfNqsp), the one I found most useful is Daylio (http://bit.ly/2C1MOm1), an app that links how you feel as a result of your behavior. This month I’ve been tracking activities like exercise, household chores and how often I see my friends—as well as unhealthy choices I’ve made: eating sugary food, staying up too late and spending too much time with energy drainers.

While it’s motivating to see streaks of positive choices, such as doing cardio exercise three times a week, what has been even more reinforcing is the way I can track how much better I felt after making healthy decisions. And when I have unswerving proof that eating junk food has made me feel icky, it’s easier to ignore excuses and resist temptation. What began as an exploration of tools to help my wellness coach clients turned out to inspire me to make healthy choices more consistently. 

What habits would you like to build? How might you support yourself along the journey?

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Nothing is impossible; the word itself says ‘I’m possible.’”

– Audrey Hepburn

 

 

My friend Meg, who studied math in college and worked in the insurance industry for years, never thought of herself as creative. However, she discovered artistic skills in herself during her thirties when she found she enjoyed making and decorating cookies.

Now she runs a thriving business making old-fashioned butter cookies with buttercream icing, custom decorating them for parties and events. As busy as her customers’ orders keep her, she loves it and appreciates the opportunity to continue to discover creativity within herself. “I didn’t know I could do this,” she says. 

What have you long thought you can’t do? Write about a first step you can take toward honing a new skill.

 

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“My heart is at ease knowing that what was meant for me will never miss me, and that what misses me was never meant for me.”

– Sufi prayer
 

As my son, his friends and thousands of other high school seniors begin to hear back from colleges they applied to, this is a time of elation, uncertainty and heartbreak as acceptances, deferrals and rejections are posted on electronic portals.

During times like these, this Sufi prayer about how what is meant for each of us will come to fruition may offer perspective. Although we may not yet know what we are meant for, this Sufi message implies that we will find it and it will find us. 

When have you felt that what was meant for you came to you?
 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

 “The real cycle you’re working on is a cycle called yourself.”

– Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance 

In his book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert M. Pirsig, who studied science, philosophy and journalism, turns his observations about his hobby into metaphors about his life.

For example, he notes that an idle motorcycle engine lopes. And he describes his ritual of adjusting the valves on his cycle’s engine as a way to reset his bike for his long journey.

When I purge my garden of weeds, I make room for healthy growth of the vegetables, herbs and flowers I’ve planted. Similarly, when I take time to unload worries into my journal, I free my mind to move forward—a way to foster growth. 

What insights can you gain from your hobbies or daily tasks?

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses.”

 – Alphonse Karr, A Tour Round My Garden

 

Thanksgiving marks a time of feeling gratitude for the people in our lives and the blessings of the preceding year. Researchers at Harvard Medical School, the Mayo Clinic and beyond have discovered that expressing gratitude boosts immunity, decreases risk of disease, boosts empathy, minimizes resentment and aggression, improves self-esteem, raises resilience and improves sleep quality.

For several months, I’ve kept a gratitude journal on my nightstand in which I’ve written one line before going to sleep. Whereas I process challenging encounters or work out problems for twenty minutes during my morning journal writing, this gratitude list took less than a minute each night. I didn’t think it would make a difference. However, I’ve found that it helps me shift any negative thinking, feel less worry and go to bed reflecting on a positive moment of the day. Taken collectively, the lines of gratitude give me a snapshot of the gifts in my life.   

What are you thankful for today?

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“I write to create myself.”

– Octavia Butler 

In a high school philosophy class, I learned about Locke’s tabula rasa concept—the theory that at birth the mind is a “blank slate” without rules; sensory experiences shape who we are. It’s the “nurture” over “nature” argument. While I found it intriguing, I didn’t fully buy into it, given how many personality traits I had in common with my parents and even with grandparents and relatives who had passed away before I was born. 

As I reflect on the nature vs. nurture debate decades later, I see it as limiting, and somewhat reactive. Yes, we are partly the amalgamation of our genetics, our experiences and our environment, but we are more. Rather than defining ourselves by others, we can chart new ground, creating a new version of ourselves in which we take ownership of who we are and who we want to be. Now I see a blank journal as a different type of tabula rasa: a clean slate from which to create our future selves. 

Who are you? Who do you want to be? Launch your future self on the page.

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Those who teach the most about humanity aren’t always human.”

– Donald L. Hicks, Look into the Stillness
 

When we visited Nuniq, a one-year-old polar bear cub at our local zoo, he dove into the water and swam beside us as we made our way around the exhibit. When I knelt and placed my hand on the glass, he maneuvered a ball to the window between his nose and my palm. And when we went downstairs to the underwater viewing area, he dove down and placed a paw on the glass between us—a beautiful soul seeking and making a connection.

We don’t need words to make a connection. And by giving ourselves opportunities to be present in our lives—to be open to the unexpected—meaningful moments emerge.  

What can you learn from the animals in your life?




 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Every time I get a script, it’s a matter of trying to know what I could do with it. I see colors, imagery. It has to have a smell. It’s like falling in love.”

 – Paul Newman

Not planning to move, I rarely notice home For Sale signs when driving. However, one stopped me: Rather than touting an updated kitchen or a reduced price, the panel atop a house’s For Sale sign said, “Fall in Love.” Those three words prompted me to look at the house—a charming little home on a country road.

To some degree, isn’t falling in love what we all want? Whether spending time with people, choosing a major in college, selecting a career path, trying out a new restaurant, reading a book by your favorite novelist or traveling to a new town, it’s always a joy to feel the sense of exhilaration and euphoria associated with falling in love. It’s a feeling we get, not something that can be quantified by checking off boxes.

When have you felt the sense of exhilaration associated with falling in love? How might you create opportunities in your life to fall in love in some way?

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“You’re beating the drum for justice!”

– Old man in wheelchair to equal rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy

Injustices big and small happen daily, and it’s tempting to sit back and not engage. In my case, the actions of my colleagues inspired me to go out of my comfort zone to help plan an event promoting awareness of the plight of contingent labor on college campuses.

Most students have no idea that some of their instructors earn surprisingly low wages and may lack job security and medical benefits. Exposing students to the negative consequences of inequitable employment practices within higher education is a step toward change, a step toward justice.  

How might you beat the drum for justice?

Sunday Journal Prompt

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”

– Milton Berle

For over a year, I’ve been working toward the goal of teaching yoga-writing workshops on my own. Although I have taught writing for years and am now a registered yoga instructor, no job postings exist for the position I seek. It’s something I need to create for myself by meeting with people I know—friends, yoga teachers, studio owners, gym administrators—to share my vision and ask for guidance.

When graduating university students tell me they aren’t finding job postings at the companies where they want to work, I encourage them to request an informational interview with an employee—a chance to learn more about the firm and discover how others found their way to work there. 

What steps can you take to build a door to the life you envision?

Sunday Journal Prompt

People often “come up with a solution to their own problem halfway through writing.”

– Jordan Harbinger, talk show host and social dynamics expert
 

Talk show host Jordan Harbinger used to have a live Sirius XM satellite radio show that took callers, but now he fields audience questions through a segment called Fan Mail Friday on his podcast. “I love making people detail their questions in writing,” he says. 

He sees a benefit to having people think things out not in real time while on the phone but by actually sitting down and writing. People often “come up with a solution to their own problem halfway through writing,” he notes. He then helps them with the “how to” tactical planning process and/or comments on how they’re handling their current situation. 

What problem are you facing? Invite writing to shed light on a solution.

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.”

– Anonymous

It’s tough not to compare ourselves to others, especially when our world seems set up that way. The percentile results from standardized test scores are based on performance relative to that of other test takers. Sports teams enter competitions with expectations based on rankings compared to other teams. In our daily lives, we see people who have or do more of whatever it is we want for ourselves.

For some, comparison can serve as a motivator. “If she can do X, I can too.” For others, however, comparison is counterproductive, leading to frustration. By focusing on incremental steps to foster growth in whichever area we want to succeed—going for a walk after work instead of sitting on the couch, making a healthier eating choice than yesterday’s, writing a paragraph a day toward a book, we take the reins and move closer to what we want for ourselves. 

What small step can you take today to get closer to what you want for yourself?

 

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Yes, me too!”

– Dr. Vogel, Carnegie Mellon University physics professor

 

During a recent college visit, my son and I had the opportunity to meet with a Carnegie Mellon University physics professor. Alex said, “Physics changes the way I see the world.” In response, Dr. Vogel’s face lit up as he inched forward on his chair then raised his hands. “Yes, me too!” 

And they were off—chatting about physics principles and how they apply to everything around us. The energy in the room elevated, and I relished witnessing their engaged exchange. After we left, Alex was shocked to learn that we’d spent forty-five minutes with the professor, as to him it had seemed like less than fifteen. 

I’d had the chance to observe flow in action—the mental state of full immersion and absorption in which one loses a sense of space and time. Often I associate “flow”  with sports or hobbies, but this reminded me how powerful it can be when human connection is at its core.

 

With whom have you experienced flow in a conversation—an experience that seems to suspend time and space?

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.”

– Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture 

 

A few months before Carnegie Mellon professor Randy Pausch died of cancer, he gave his last lecture about achieving childhood dreams and helping others do the same. He shared his view that brick walls—those blockades that pop up on our journeys—exist as obstacles to tear down to show how much we want something. 

Although early in his career he’d been denied his childhood dream of working as a Disney Imagineer, he was able to fulfill it during a sabbatical a decade later, when his virtual reality expertise was needed. He’d put his energy into working hard to develop skills that ended up helping him land his childhood dream job. 

How are you preparing for an opportunity that may seem out of reach?

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Anticipation can give us equal or greater sense of joy and happiness as the event or item itself.”

– Jonathan Fields, author and podcaster, “The ARC of Happiness,” Good Life Project 

 

In our society rich with last-minute commitments, we may be depriving ourselves of joy. Research shows that anticipating a positive event such as a trip or outing with loved ones gives as much happiness—and sometimes more—than the event itself. Anticipation lights up the joy triggers in our brains, so when we sign up for a conference the day before it starts, buy concert tickets on the day of an event or purchase something with one click, we’re cutting down the window for anticipation.

As writer and podcaster Jonathan Fields says, postponing a commitment is “killing the ability to extend the amount of time that we get to play in that space of joyful anticipation.” However, by saying “yes” early on, we allow ourselves time to visualize how it will feel, taste, smell and fill us up. In two months, I’ll get to spend a weekend with my dear friends from high school, something I’ve been looking forward to. In anticipation of the trip, I’ve been researching restaurants and outing ideas as well as feeling energy when I think about how I’ll soon get to be with these long-standing friends who lift me up, make me laugh and offer unconditional love.

What joyful event are you considering committing to? How can boost your anticipatory window—and, thus, your happiness?

 

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Visual exposure to plants and other nature can foster considerable restoration or recovery from stress.” 

– Dr. Roger S. Ulrich, “Health Benefits of Gardens in Hospitals,” Colleges of Architecture and Medicine, Texas A&M University

 

 

This week I spent four days at the hospital with my husband, whose officemates had wisely called the paramedics after he vomited and couldn’t move without pain. One of his co-workers cried in the ER lobby, telling me what a great guy he is. For a second my fear made me wonder if the verb "is" should've been "was," especially since aneurism was another word that arose. After ruling that and cardiac issues out, the doctors wanted to determine if he’d had a stroke. Though it took several tests to land on a diagnosis, it ended up being a viral infection on the nerves connecting his inner ear to his brain, causing him vertigo, nausea, temporary deafness, light sensitivity, an unstable gait and pain among other symptoms—nothing anyone wants, but not life threatening.

During these days, I found relief in what became my spot to sit—the last booth on the edge of the cafeteria. When taking a break from Robert’s darkened hospital room, I drank Tazo Zen green tea and appreciated the rock garden and greenery outside. I felt grateful for the landscape architect who made the adjacent highway seem miles away. During this taxing time, the cushiony seat and nourishing view became a place of calm and stability. 

When and where has nature helped you find a degree of peace amid uncertainty?

Sunday Journal Prompt

“In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.”

 – Francis Bacon 

The brightest lights in my life—people who are upbeat, giving and inspiring—have endured dark times in their lives. Rather than giving up after disappointment and heartbreak, they find a way to appreciate the goodness around them.

More importantly, they have increased depth, like mythological characters who have traveled to the underworld and risen. Among many people who have endured tragedy, I’ve found a knowingness, a wisdom, a vulnerability and an eagerness to connect with others who are struggling.

 

How has darkness helped your light shine more brightly?

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Set wide the window. Let me drink the day.”

– Edith Wharton

 

As summer comes to a close and September approaches, I find I’m spending more time outside to make the most of the warm days before fall temperatures set in: eating, gardening, running, walking—even napping.

On cooler days, we keep the windows open to let the breeze and sounds of nature flow through our home. Although I look forward to each season, it’s imminent arrival prompts me to make the most of the season that’s about to pass. 

How can you make the most of the season that’s about to pass?

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“What you see in an eclipse is entirely different from what you know.”

  – Annie Dillard, “Total Eclipse,” The Atlantic, 1982

Too often, we are united with mankind through grief over tragedies such as terrorist attacks. But tomorrow people across America will have the opportunity to connect over nature—the first coast-to-coast solar eclipse in nearly a century. 

When I attend major sporting events, concert festivals or fireworks displays, the crowd’s energy amplifies mine. Tomorrow we have the chance to tap into the energy of a nation of folks who will observe this awe-inspiring event. For some, eclipses have been life-altering occurrences.

NASA has posted this video about how to make an eclipse viewer from a cereal box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWMf5rYDgpc&feature=youtu.be. 

 How have you been awestruck by nature in the past? How can you make time to view the eclipse? 

 

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Take responsibility for the energy you bring into a space.”

– Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, neuroanatomist, stroke survivor and author of My Stroke of Insight

When Harvard scientist Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor had a stroke that shut down her brain’s right hemisphere, she lost language, memories, a sense of the past and future, and her identity. She lived in the present and had an enormous awareness of the energy people brought into the room. When doctors talked to her mother instead of making eye contact and trying to connect with her, she felt devalued and didn’t want to show up for them—a lesson she now tries to instill in aspiring physicians.

The energy people carry with them can affect the moods and attitudes of others. When I’m around someone who inspires me, I feel my light brighten. Alternatively, if I come into a classroom feeling depleted, my students pick up on that and are not as engaged—which further drains me.
 
When this happens, I’m reminded to take care of myself not just for my own benefit but for the sake of others. If I’m stressed from overscheduling, tired due to staying up too late, wired from over-caffeinating or in pain from poor food choices (due to Crohn’s disease), that negative energy spirals from me to the people in my life and then back to me. Recharging myself through sleep, writing, yoga and meditation—and minimizing my time with energy drainers—helps me take responsibility for the energy I emanate as well as the energy that I absorb.

How can you take responsibility for the energy you emanate and receive?

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“True friends are always together in spirit.”

 – L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables  

Today we dropped off our youngest child at a church camp he has attended for five years. Even though he sees his camp friends for just one week a year, they are very dear to him—people for whom he feels deep affection. Throughout the year, they text each other to touch base, share funny memories of past camp sessions or make plans for the next summer.

Last month while visiting my hometown, I had lunch with Susan, my mother’s best friend whom I inherited after my mom passed away. Even though I see her only one day a year, we have forged a beautiful friendship over the past twelve years and are wholeheartedly invested in each other’s lives. And I’ve only seen my oldest friend Seth three or four times since we were in eighth grade. Still, we have a special connection and offer each other support across miles and time. 

Have you felt a friendship transcend time and proximity? How might you (continue to) foster that connection?

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.”

 

 – Oprah Winfrey

I’m glowing with gratitude. Eight months ago, I sent a message to a company’s general email address to ask an immense favor. It was a long-shot request, and I honestly hadn’t expected a response. Yet, within an hour, I received an enthusiastic “yes” from one of its founders. Thanks to his generosity, this week my son met the developers of his favorite video game. Not only that, but we hung out with the creators and their generous team for an afternoon of laughter and inspiration. 

After signing non-disclosure agreements, my sons got to play in-progress levels of the game that won’t be released for months. They also enjoyed a behind-the-scenes glimpse of game creation: seeing the lines of code, viewing a big-picture grid of the levels, seeing sketches on whiteboards and reading placeholder dialogue. The team even gave each of the boys a bag of game-related goodies. Seeing my sons’ joy and the kindness of the lovely people who were so willing to open their doors to us, my heart is full.

 

 What do you want—for yourself or for others? How can you ask for it?

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Every person is defined by the communities she belongs to.”

 

– Orson Scott Card, Speaker for the Dead
  

Throughout my life, I’ve visited my father’s family’s homeland of Manteno in Kankakee County, Illinois for family reunions. By now most of the family farms have been sold, but the land we always return to is St. Joseph Cemetery. During a recent trip, I noticed that no one seemed to pray. And there were certainly no moments of silence, as the grave markers served as cues for animated stories. 

As my father and his cousins strolled from one marker to the next, they recounted tales of their departed siblings, aunts, uncles, parents and grandparents. They filled in each other’s memory gaps about “the time,” such as the time one uncle bought a farm at noon only to discover its crops and buildings wiped out by a tornado at 2 p.m. The family plot is a place where my father feels a great connection to many he has lost, as well as a sense of community with those who live to tell the tales.

 

In what unexpected place do you tap into a sense of community?

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“A moment is not complete until you realize it is fleeting.”

 – Stuti Dhyani, A Grain of Sand

 

With one child in college and the other going into his senior year of high school, my husband and I are aware that our time with our children under our roof is fleeting. Last night the boys’ friends spent the night after a fun evening together, and we treasured having a house full of laughter and life.

This morning we made the teens breakfast: hot chocolate and Eggs a’la Patton (soft-boiled eggs, bacon and toast). Robert made toast shaped like a bear—as if the boys were still toddlers. It’s a gesture that makes them smile, a way to make the most of the remainder of their childhood.

What is fleeting in your life? How can you make the most of the time you have?

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Minimalism is the constant art of editing your life.”

- Danny Dover, The Minimalist Mindset

An accomplishment that will never show up on my resume is how my family has learned to pack lightly. We spent the month of June traveling abroad—all with carry-on luggage. We rolled our clothes into eBags and, once a week, used coin-operated laundromats. It started as a way to avoid bag-check fees and save time, but has developed our ability to operate as a team. One backpack held Luna bars and other snacks in one pocket, our clear plastic toiletry kits in another. One held our passports, novels that we exchanged with each other and a folder with printouts of our itinerary, boarding passes, train tickets and museum tickets. A third carried our electronic devices, chargers and adapters. The fourth, a smaller daypack, held our water bottle, sunscreen, hats, glasses, a protein shake mixer cup and my journal.
 
Minimizing our baggage helped us stay mobile, spend less time packing between cities and avoid stress our fellow travelers had. When we experienced delays, flight cancelations, gate changes and an unexpected overnight stay in Philadelphia during what became a 36-hour return trip, we had everything we needed. Our packing method is growing into a way of life for us. At home, we roll our clothes to fit into drawers and try to pare down our belongings. What do we really need? What can we donate? How can we better organize our home? What commitments do we value? What can we skip? How do we want to fill our time? What else in our lives can we streamline?

 

How can you streamline your life to carry less baggage?

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Carpe diem.”

 

– Horace 

 

 

This morning my husband awoke at 4 a.m.—a rarity while traveling. “Do you want to see the sunrise?” he asked. For a split second, I considered staying in the cozy bed, but then I thought about the opportunity I might miss. “I’m in,” I responded. Ten minutes later, we were walking on Prague’s hauntingly beautiful Charles Bridge. Pink clouds illuminated by the yellow-orange sun served as the backdrop for structures built centuries before Columbus sailed. Usually packed with tourists, the bridge was nearly empty, giving us the feeling that we had our own private viewing.

 

When have you “seized the day” by saying yes to a rewarding opportunity?

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Let go of who you think you’re supposed to be and be who you are.”

 

– Brene Brown

 

While on a hike with my family, I joined fellow park visitors in snapping photos of waterfalls, mountain vistas and lagoons. However, people on the path passed me by when I stopped to admire tree roots—tendrils upon tendrils of exposed tree roots. I couldn’t get enough of them.

Pausing, admiring and photographing tree roots, for me, is a way to honor often-unseen complexity and beauty. I’m most interested in people’s depth that few get to see. Those who share their hopes and heartbreaks—the side of themselves they usually keep buried—are the people I’m most drawn to.
 

What side of yourself do you rarely reveal? To whom might you showcase your depth?

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“This room would offer a refuge for peaceful meditation in the midst of a flowering aquarium.”

 

– Claude Monet of the vestibule he designed to house Water Lilies

After the first World War, Claude Monet donated Water Lilies to France, offering Parisians a haven of peace. When he first considered the project in 1909, he wrote, “Nerves strained by work would relax in its presence, following the restful example of its stagnant waters, and for he who would live in it, this room would offer refuge for peaceful meditation in the midst of a flowering aquarium.”

Enthused to see the paintings and experience the way they seamlessly merge water, air, sky and earth, I hadn’t expected to feel awestruck by the room itself—the way the artist designed the well-lit oval-shaped room to create a space between the hustle of the city and his works. I felt as if I were immersed in art in a new way, and I noticed myself breathing more deeply. After taking it all in, I enjoyed watching the expressions of wonder in visitor after visitor as each entered the room at Musee de l’Orangerie. 

What room or space offers you a sense of peace? What do you notice about yourself there?

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Every child is an artist; the problem is staying an artist when you grow up.”

 – Pablo Picasso

After years of taking her kids to art classes, my friend Debbie began taking ceramics classes herself. Recently she gifted me a coffee mug she made, and I’ve been drinking from it while sitting on my deck in the mornings as I watch the sun rise. Its warmth and sturdiness have become a reminder of our treasured friendship.

Still, many adults don’t think of themselves as artistic, but creativity comes in so many forms: creating a yoga class sequence, experimenting with a Kung Pao chicken recipe, rearranging furniture for a retirement party, making spreadsheet columns that provide new insight on a work project, inventing games for children, reorganizing kitchen cabinets, planning a trip on a budget.

How do you—or would you like to—incorporate artistry and creativity in your life?

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.”

 – Author unknown

Our family is mourning the loss of my husband’s beloved Aunt Linda, who graduated from Purdue University with a degree in chemical engineering in 1970 as the only woman in her class, who ran for public office and who built a thriving engineering firm with her husband. Known for her brilliance, she taught herself Russian during one summer break during high school.

As impressive as her resume is, what most stood out to be was Linda’s kindness and genuine interest in others, the way she always asked about my family. I think of the joy she took in her children and grandchildren, of the Korean Lilacs that grace the front walkway to her home and of the gorgeous cherry pie she and her daughter made for Thanksgiving dinner. The pie didn’t look real to me, as it was flawless. Perhaps she applied her engineering precision to creating perfectly spaced-apart slats of pastry atop the radiant cherries. 

What do you most remember about a deceased loved one? How do you want to be remembered? 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

 ― Eleanor Roosevelt

When my son Alex, 17, got home from school on Tuesday, he asked, “Do you want to go to the zoo?” I had other plans for the next few hours—a magazine article to finish writing, calls to make, dinner to prepare. But knowing he’ll be headed off to college before I know it, I grabbed my car keys and said, “I’m in.”

Since Alex was an infant, we’ve visited the Grizzly habitat where the bears—his favorite animals—slept in dark dens or lounged in the grass far away from the observation area. During this visit, however, we found one of them taking a dip. Alex knelt, placed his hand on the glass and found himself eye-to-eye and palm-to-paw with a magnificent creature who further communicated with him by blowing bubbles. This opportunity that we easily could’ve missed became a magical moment neither of us will ever forget.

 

 

When has saying “yes” to an opportunity been rewarding—even magical?

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“Look deep into nature and you will understand everything better.”

– Albert Einstein

In honor of Mother’s Day, my family organized a visit to Garden of the Phoenix on our way home from Chicago. To my surprise, the parking lot was full of potholes and trash. Chain link fences separated Jackson Park from the roar of cars barreling by on Lakeshore Drive. We followed the path, but I questioned whether we were in the right place. The scraggly trees and shrubs hasn’t been what I’d expected. 

We kept going deeper into the park and found ourselves on an island oasis—a beautiful Japanese garden with a bridge, koi fish, vibrant azaleas, stone walkways and pagoda statues. Three waterfalls roared louder than the cars we could no longer see. With the garden to ourselves on a Sunday morning, I imagined few knew about this well-hidden haven, a sanctuary on the south side of Chicago.

When have initial hesitancies disappeared by going into more depth?

 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“In music the rests are as important as the notes.”

– Matthew Kelly, The Rhythm of Life

 

I spent this weekend at a silent retreat, an opportunity to unplug and recharge. Instructed to leave my iPhone in my car, I didn’t even know what time it was for most of the weekend. For some members of my group, staying quiet was quite difficult. Though not talking was comfortable for me, averting eye contact—as we were told to do—made me feel rude since I enjoy connecting with people nonverbally. However, I did appreciate the benefits of holding onto all my energy. I read, wrote, practiced yoga, walked and meditated. I touched tree trunks and savored pink clouds at sunset. On Saturday evening we roasted S'mores over a bonfire beside a river and sang songs—the only time I heard my voice that day.

Travel tends to mark transitions in my life—opportunities where I get out of my daily routine, recharge and reflect on the big picture: What’s working well? What do I want to change? What steps can I take to get there? Even though the retreat center was just two hours away and I was only gone for two days, I feel heightened perspective and clarity—as well as great gratitude for my family and friends. As Matthew Kelly writes in The Rhythm of Life, “The silence makes the noise more meaningful.”

How might you incorporate more pauses into your life? 

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“You can change your relationship with time.”

– Dr. Deepak Chopra, The Ohio State University Stanley D. and Joan H. Ross Center for Brain Health and Performance Lecture at Mershon Auditorium
 

Decades ago, my now-deceased mother studied in California with Dr. Deepak Chopra, known for his insights on the blend of Western science with Eastern medicine. For the past month, I’ve been alerted to news of his visit to my town by email, social media and posters—at work and at the yoga studio where I practice. So I went to listen.

The talk focused on neuroscience, biology, memory, stress, aging and ways to reduce inflammation. What most stood out to me was his discussion about time, saying that we can change our relationship with time. “Time is a human construct.” We view it as linear, but time is cyclical, like tides, he said.

Though I’m still wrapping my mind around this idea, part of me connected to it. In my hands was my mother’s copy of one of Chopra’s books in which she had highlighted lines that resonated with her. When I reread that book, I feel as if she’s speaking those particular lines to me. I’m grateful for the insights they offer on who she was and what mattered to her. Yesterday I underlined phrases that resonated with me; perhaps my future self will read those as messages from my former self. I see the phrases that are both underlined and highlighted as places where Mom and I meet—as if we’re having a meaningful moment in a conversation 12 years after her death, making a new connection that transcends the traditional boundaries of time.

What is your relationship with time? How might you view it differently?

  

 

 

Sunday Journal Prompt

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” 

- Edith Wharton

I’ve been on a bit of a high lately, as I’ve been blessed to be in touch with loved ones near and far in honor of my birthday—a chance to “be the candle.” Though the celebrations have passed and I’m refocused on grading end-of-term papers, I’m still feeling the light.

 

As I read and respond to final analysis papers written by my students in the honors program, I feel such a sense of joy for them. Many had come to my office early in the semester to confess uncertainty or fear about their research projects. Breaking out of the five-paragraph mold and exploring a new approach to writing contradicted all they’d been taught. Months later, they’ve proven to themselves that they could master what they initially resisted, as their work reflects curiosity and sophisticated thinking. I view my feedback to them as an opportunity to be “the mirror” that reflects their light, a chance to celebrate them and the progress they’ve made.

How can you spread light by reflecting the candles around you?