Spirit Matters

What qualities do you look for in a leader? Think about the qualities you appreciate in a boss.

I believe nature speaks.

I recently went into St. Stephen Church in Streator for the first time since it was permanently shuttered in October, as a result of structural concerns.

You might not be familiar with the term “hold space,” but I guarantee the concept is one from which we all can benefit.

Here I am, nearly 40 years later, often wandering into my own little world in a sea of animated chatter.

As a lifelong lover of words, I believe in their power to communicate profound truths when used with careful intention.

I am a firm believer the thoughts we choose to entertain about ourselves, our environment and the world in which we live, have a powerful impact on our life experience.

Spirit Matters: I have always been magnetically drawn to the heart symbol.

This week I watched as a longtime family friend retired from Normal Community High School after 34 years of teaching there and in Round Lake.

This morning, when I woke up to fog outside my window, I felt a familiar sense of intrigue deep inside of me.

Socrates said, "The misuse of language induces evil in the soul." He wasn’t talking about grammar.

Many years ago, I watched the movie “Marley and Me” on DVD.

Spirit Matters: What is your superpower?

Spirit Matters: You are what you eat. How many times have you heard that before?

The wallpaper on my laptop is almost like the beginning of a fairy tale.

Fred Rogers was a guest on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” and she asked him what the No. 1 piece of advice he would give parents. He responded: parents should remember what it was like when they were a child.

Spirit Matters: I know I’ve said this about all the seasons, but early spring is one of my favorite times of the year.

Spirit Matters: This Monday marks a milestone. My husband and I will celebrate our first wedding anniversary.

Managing anxiety can be complicated depending on the situation, but I have found a simple, holistic approach works wonders.

I am thrilled there is a day established to not only honor and recognize the achievements of women throughout history, but also to bring awareness into the lives of all women that we matter.

For those of you who observe Lent, it is check-in time.

She is known for sending roses from heaven.

I change my mind often. Like, all the time.

Just as our words and our behavior can do harm, they also can heal.

One day you’re 21, moving out of your parent’s house and starting a life of your own. ... The next day you’re 51.

“Who you are speaks so loudly I cannot hear what you are saying.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Having your person around during these dark, often bitterly cold times – even when in different rooms in your home – is a comfort that is hard to describe.

With the weather being as snowy and cold as it has, and the sunshine on sabbatical, I have had to work extra hard to keep my spirits up, while also experiencing cabin fever.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let’s talk about unraveling.

The sanctuary in Lourdes, France, the site of dozens of church-approved, rigorously investigated and medically unexplainable healings, offers a 24-hour livestream on the internet.

This Thursday, Dec. 21, those dwelling in the Northern Hemisphere will observe the Winter Solstice.

I get sentimentally attached to just about every significant thing in my life.

When approached by those seeking healing of various maladies, he makes it clear only one thing is required to be made well: Faith. He goes so far as to say if one has faith the size of a mustard seed, one could make a mountain be uprooted and moved into the sea.

After I got done with my morning prayer this morning, it occurred to me how insane it is that our extroverted holiday season is kicking into high gear, just as Mother Nature is withdrawing into herself for the next several months.

“Thank you again for another beautiful November day … the sunshine, the warm temperatures, the unique scent of fall in the air, the crunchiness of the leaves beneath our feet …”

Silence has the ability to amplify our unique, one-of-a-kind, never-to-be-repeated voices. And our voices are icons of our souls. They tell others who we are, and what we represent.

I cannot allow myself to watch these crazy news cycles, and remain healthy mentally. I don’t need to see it to envision it all too clearly in my mind. That is enough, more than enough.

When everything else in our lives or our world is in chaos, it is comforting to find solace in those little things we have come to treasure. They often carry with them happy nostalgic memories.

On March 20, my brother had his dog, Millie, put to rest. I am certain it was one of the hardest things he ever had to do.

It is days like these, (cold, dark, wet) I find YouTube most beneficial.

Many Americans love their “autumn vibes.” The Danish have an actual word for it.

When we lose loved ones – human or otherwise – it is easy to think they are gone forever, especially when we go for long periods of silence like the one my dad has recently pulled on me.

The ancestors of many Streator folks built this church from the ground up.

Raise your hand if you don’t like to leave your comfort zone.

When I say I geek out at the word “writing,” I mean it is ingrained in the compass of my soul, and each time I see or hear it, the ears of my heart perk up and I have to see why it is calling to me now.

If you remember September 11, 2001; and that crisp, clear, sunny morning, as well as that crisp, clear, sunny – but remarkably silent – evening is indelibly imprinted on your soul, then you can understand why.

I commented aloud what I had been thinking for a while: “It always makes me a little sad when the flowers start to fade a little.”

It happens every year about this time. Memes begin popping up all over social media, expressing eager anticipation for “autumn vibes.”

Earlier this week he was at his Grandma’s house, and since no one was home, and he was hungry, he thought he would try to feed himself.

A picture of my late grandmother in a frame on the desk I am working on at my mom’s house enchants me as I write today.