My friend Molly Barker says when she feels both fear and joy in the same moment, she knows she’s on to something big. I know exactly what she means. On the day I left for Costa Rica, I couldn’t stop tearing up in the USAirways Lounge. It had started at home, when I said goodbye to my […]
I packed meticulously for nearly 2 months for my extended stay in Costa Rica. I brought a magnification mirror, a water purification pitcher, two pounds of my favorite tea, extra thumb drives, candles, a battery-powered bedside light, enough Aveda products to last 6 months, scented eye pillows and recyclable shopping bags. Five pairs of ear […]
Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, which I visited several years ago, is said to be the most beautiful lake in the world. Pooled at the foot of four volcanoes, the lake is large and clear and deep. The terrain is stunning but daunting: the only method of transportation between the small villages circling the coast is launch, […]
I was in Pickens, SC recently, ensconced in a charming artist’s retreat run by my artist friend Ellen Kochansky. It’s a beautiful expanse of land in the foothills of the Carolinas, carved out to encourage writers and artists to leave behind their cares and pursue their art. I spent the week resting, writing, visiting with Ellen […]
A funny thing happened on my way to yoga class on Christmas Eve a few years back. After 10 years of taking yoga classes, I practiced yoga for the first time. As I drove to the yoga studio, I mentally refined my newly acquired ability to kick up into handstand, after years of futile attempts. […]
While on my visits to Peru, I learned about the Quechua concept of ayni. The theme is integral to the country’s indigenous cosmology and, according to writer J.E. Williams, “…ayni manifests as mutual sharing, respect and understanding the needs of others. By reciprocating all the good that comes to you from others, nature and the spirit world, you become more […]
I ran a successful event planning company for twenty-five years before I decided it was time to make a change. The decision didn’t come lightly, and it didn’t come quickly—it was years in the making. While I enjoyed most of the things about running my company, I always expected I would not do it forever. […]
My friend Laura is a free spirit, with a bit of gypsy in her. She stays light on her feet; indeed, sometimes she seems to float into a room. I met Laura in yoga teacher training and was immediately drawn to her. I sensed from the beginning that she had a back-story that I wanted […]
