Singing Along the Journey

gratitude

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Not really 9, just 8…

I planned this celebration of a day that I call my new birthday for months. And I was totally convinced that it was the 9 year anniversary of my aortic valve replacement surgery. I was completely convinced. In fact, I wrote these words along with the pictures I shared from our time in the mountains: Celebration day 3 comes to an end with a little walk in the woods. A seriously more enjoyable day than 9 years ago, but a day only made possible by that day 9 years ago. Grateful for a day full of sunshine and activity. Grateful for the science and the faith that made today possible.…
Read More

Hate has no home here…

And a happy Monday to all. I took a long walk in the morning beauty this morning but unlike many mornings I had an itinerary in mind. I wanted to see firsthand the response of the people of St. Marks Capitol Hill to an act of hatred in this peaceful courtyard (a noose was hung from one of the trees recently, apparently a far too often act in DC). The signs are a witness to love in the face of hate. I know, for many, this is a small action, but if you walk the perimeter ( as I did in the video) and this act of saying no to…
Read More

People, look East…the search for hope and wonder

People look East -- the first words of a familiar hymn often sung during Advent.  I'm having trouble leaving the words of this hymn confined within their traditional time frame.  The meaning of time has certainly changed for many of us these past months, and if 2020 changes anything, those changes call me to embrace the hope and preparation of Advent as a lifestyle, not a season. People look East, the time is near. Yesterday, as I rose at an hour all too early and all too cold for the end of December, again, I made my morning calculation -- which way will I walk?  Will I head to the…
Read More

Le Noël des Oiseaux: Recording by Susan Sevier & Cheryl Branham

Usually, right at this moment, I am at one of many locations in my neighborhood, outside.  Walking.  Rain or shine, cold or heat, I have been walking.  Looking at the sunrise, watching the clouds, observing the few other socially-distancing dog walkers or runners or the occasional package pirate on a scooter streaming away with their prize. There is supposed to be snow falling outside my window right now, but I live in the great DC Snow Hole, so what we have instead is freezing wind with the promise of freezing rain as the invisible sun moves on its invisible journey around the planet. But, in the expectation of snow, I…
Read More

March 24 – 27, 2020: Seeing with no words

I haven't had anything to say for a few days, but that doesn't mean that my eyes aren't wide open. I just can't translated what I see into any kind of verbal expression. I am lucky in that our confinement begins in the middle of the blooming season in the neighborhood. So much beauty to be seen. And so, instead of words, I share all that I have seen as I venture not to far from my home f you want to take a look, too. March 24, 2020 March 25, 2020 March 27, 2020 March 26, 2020
Read More

I had a plan this weekend…

I had a plan this weekend.  My experience is that these are dangerous words, and this weekend's result was no different. I thought that the plan was simple.  For weeks, I have been culling my closet for items that could have  a better, more useful home.  This was not a general pull and pitch -- I was gathering clothing to go to the group Suited for Change, an organization of women who lift up other women by providing them with office-suitable clothing at the moment they most need it, the moment when they take that step from recovery of any kind into the world of work.  I knew that I…
Read More

September, days of heat and remembrance…

The sun is just barely showing pink between the buildings across the street, so I don't know yet if the sky will be that frightening clear blue color today.  It was, that day, and the day after. It is a color and a clarity that I apparently cannot forget.  That kind of blue, to this day, makes me shudder with remembrance. And just like another day long ago, I am up early, suited in my workout clothes, ready to head to the gym, because I have a long list of things to "accomplish" today.  I do not need to drive to Baltimore as then; today it is emails and getting…
Read More

The gift of life…

It seems quite funny to me that in all these years of sharing my thoughts randomly with those of you in the digi-verse, apparently, I have never paused to converse with you about Thanksgiving.  Oh yes, I often express ideas about gratitude and blessing, but I have not paused to reflect on the one day that we as a people set aside each year to remind us, well, to do just that.  I would like to think that that omission is because an attitude of gratitude has been a dominant theme in my life for years. But maybe not.  Thanksgiving, as it was taught to me (and to most of…
Read More

Lux aeterna luceat eis…

One of my favorite parts of Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem is the Lux Aeterna, Movement 6. I've only sung it a few times, but I suppose that I like it so much because the voicing is unexpected.  These beautiful words of peace and comfort are usually given to the soprano to sing, giving them an ethereal presence instead of the more grounded one that comes from a trio made up of the three lower voices: the mezzo, the tenor, and the bass/baritone.  In Verdi's work, It is as if these words are less remote, that they come from our humanity rather than as a blessing from above: Let perpetual light shine upon…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Not really 9, just 8…

I planned this celebration of a day that I call my new birthday for months. And I was totally convinced that it was the 9 year anniversary of my aortic valve replacement surgery. I was completely convinced. In fact, I wrote these words along with the pictures I shared from our time in the mountains: Celebration day 3 comes to an end with a little walk in the woods. A seriously more enjoyable day than 9 years ago, but a day only made possible by that day 9 years ago. Grateful for a day full of sunshine and activity. Grateful for the science and the faith that made today possible.…
Read More

Hate has no home here…

And a happy Monday to all. I took a long walk in the morning beauty this morning but unlike many mornings I had an itinerary in mind. I wanted to see firsthand the response of the people of St. Marks Capitol Hill to an act of hatred in this peaceful courtyard (a noose was hung from one of the trees recently, apparently a far too often act in DC). The signs are a witness to love in the face of hate. I know, for many, this is a small action, but if you walk the perimeter ( as I did in the video) and this act of saying no to…
Read More

People, look East…the search for hope and wonder

People look East -- the first words of a familiar hymn often sung during Advent.  I'm having trouble leaving the words of this hymn confined within their traditional time frame.  The meaning of time has certainly changed for many of us these past months, and if 2020 changes anything, those changes call me to embrace the hope and preparation of Advent as a lifestyle, not a season. People look East, the time is near. Yesterday, as I rose at an hour all too early and all too cold for the end of December, again, I made my morning calculation -- which way will I walk?  Will I head to the…
Read More

Le Noël des Oiseaux: Recording by Susan Sevier & Cheryl Branham

Usually, right at this moment, I am at one of many locations in my neighborhood, outside.  Walking.  Rain or shine, cold or heat, I have been walking.  Looking at the sunrise, watching the clouds, observing the few other socially-distancing dog walkers or runners or the occasional package pirate on a scooter streaming away with their prize. There is supposed to be snow falling outside my window right now, but I live in the great DC Snow Hole, so what we have instead is freezing wind with the promise of freezing rain as the invisible sun moves on its invisible journey around the planet. But, in the expectation of snow, I…
Read More

March 24 – 27, 2020: Seeing with no words

I haven't had anything to say for a few days, but that doesn't mean that my eyes aren't wide open. I just can't translated what I see into any kind of verbal expression. I am lucky in that our confinement begins in the middle of the blooming season in the neighborhood. So much beauty to be seen. And so, instead of words, I share all that I have seen as I venture not to far from my home f you want to take a look, too. March 24, 2020 March 25, 2020 March 27, 2020 March 26, 2020
Read More

I had a plan this weekend…

I had a plan this weekend.  My experience is that these are dangerous words, and this weekend's result was no different. I thought that the plan was simple.  For weeks, I have been culling my closet for items that could have  a better, more useful home.  This was not a general pull and pitch -- I was gathering clothing to go to the group Suited for Change, an organization of women who lift up other women by providing them with office-suitable clothing at the moment they most need it, the moment when they take that step from recovery of any kind into the world of work.  I knew that I…
Read More

September, days of heat and remembrance…

The sun is just barely showing pink between the buildings across the street, so I don't know yet if the sky will be that frightening clear blue color today.  It was, that day, and the day after. It is a color and a clarity that I apparently cannot forget.  That kind of blue, to this day, makes me shudder with remembrance. And just like another day long ago, I am up early, suited in my workout clothes, ready to head to the gym, because I have a long list of things to "accomplish" today.  I do not need to drive to Baltimore as then; today it is emails and getting…
Read More

The gift of life…

It seems quite funny to me that in all these years of sharing my thoughts randomly with those of you in the digi-verse, apparently, I have never paused to converse with you about Thanksgiving.  Oh yes, I often express ideas about gratitude and blessing, but I have not paused to reflect on the one day that we as a people set aside each year to remind us, well, to do just that.  I would like to think that that omission is because an attitude of gratitude has been a dominant theme in my life for years. But maybe not.  Thanksgiving, as it was taught to me (and to most of…
Read More

Lux aeterna luceat eis…

One of my favorite parts of Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem is the Lux Aeterna, Movement 6. I've only sung it a few times, but I suppose that I like it so much because the voicing is unexpected.  These beautiful words of peace and comfort are usually given to the soprano to sing, giving them an ethereal presence instead of the more grounded one that comes from a trio made up of the three lower voices: the mezzo, the tenor, and the bass/baritone.  In Verdi's work, It is as if these words are less remote, that they come from our humanity rather than as a blessing from above: Let perpetual light shine upon…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Not really 9, just 8…

I planned this celebration of a day that I call my new birthday for months. And I was totally convinced that it was the 9 year anniversary of my aortic valve replacement surgery. I was completely convinced. In fact, I wrote these words along with the pictures I shared from our time in the mountains: Celebration day 3 comes to an end with a little walk in the woods. A seriously more enjoyable day than 9 years ago, but a day only made possible by that day 9 years ago. Grateful for a day full of sunshine and activity. Grateful for the science and the faith that made today possible.…
Read More

Hate has no home here…

And a happy Monday to all. I took a long walk in the morning beauty this morning but unlike many mornings I had an itinerary in mind. I wanted to see firsthand the response of the people of St. Marks Capitol Hill to an act of hatred in this peaceful courtyard (a noose was hung from one of the trees recently, apparently a far too often act in DC). The signs are a witness to love in the face of hate. I know, for many, this is a small action, but if you walk the perimeter ( as I did in the video) and this act of saying no to…
Read More

People, look East…the search for hope and wonder

People look East -- the first words of a familiar hymn often sung during Advent.  I'm having trouble leaving the words of this hymn confined within their traditional time frame.  The meaning of time has certainly changed for many of us these past months, and if 2020 changes anything, those changes call me to embrace the hope and preparation of Advent as a lifestyle, not a season. People look East, the time is near. Yesterday, as I rose at an hour all too early and all too cold for the end of December, again, I made my morning calculation -- which way will I walk?  Will I head to the…
Read More

Le Noël des Oiseaux: Recording by Susan Sevier & Cheryl Branham

Usually, right at this moment, I am at one of many locations in my neighborhood, outside.  Walking.  Rain or shine, cold or heat, I have been walking.  Looking at the sunrise, watching the clouds, observing the few other socially-distancing dog walkers or runners or the occasional package pirate on a scooter streaming away with their prize. There is supposed to be snow falling outside my window right now, but I live in the great DC Snow Hole, so what we have instead is freezing wind with the promise of freezing rain as the invisible sun moves on its invisible journey around the planet. But, in the expectation of snow, I…
Read More

March 24 – 27, 2020: Seeing with no words

I haven't had anything to say for a few days, but that doesn't mean that my eyes aren't wide open. I just can't translated what I see into any kind of verbal expression. I am lucky in that our confinement begins in the middle of the blooming season in the neighborhood. So much beauty to be seen. And so, instead of words, I share all that I have seen as I venture not to far from my home f you want to take a look, too. March 24, 2020 March 25, 2020 March 27, 2020 March 26, 2020
Read More

I had a plan this weekend…

I had a plan this weekend.  My experience is that these are dangerous words, and this weekend's result was no different. I thought that the plan was simple.  For weeks, I have been culling my closet for items that could have  a better, more useful home.  This was not a general pull and pitch -- I was gathering clothing to go to the group Suited for Change, an organization of women who lift up other women by providing them with office-suitable clothing at the moment they most need it, the moment when they take that step from recovery of any kind into the world of work.  I knew that I…
Read More

September, days of heat and remembrance…

The sun is just barely showing pink between the buildings across the street, so I don't know yet if the sky will be that frightening clear blue color today.  It was, that day, and the day after. It is a color and a clarity that I apparently cannot forget.  That kind of blue, to this day, makes me shudder with remembrance. And just like another day long ago, I am up early, suited in my workout clothes, ready to head to the gym, because I have a long list of things to "accomplish" today.  I do not need to drive to Baltimore as then; today it is emails and getting…
Read More

The gift of life…

It seems quite funny to me that in all these years of sharing my thoughts randomly with those of you in the digi-verse, apparently, I have never paused to converse with you about Thanksgiving.  Oh yes, I often express ideas about gratitude and blessing, but I have not paused to reflect on the one day that we as a people set aside each year to remind us, well, to do just that.  I would like to think that that omission is because an attitude of gratitude has been a dominant theme in my life for years. But maybe not.  Thanksgiving, as it was taught to me (and to most of…
Read More

Lux aeterna luceat eis…

One of my favorite parts of Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem is the Lux Aeterna, Movement 6. I've only sung it a few times, but I suppose that I like it so much because the voicing is unexpected.  These beautiful words of peace and comfort are usually given to the soprano to sing, giving them an ethereal presence instead of the more grounded one that comes from a trio made up of the three lower voices: the mezzo, the tenor, and the bass/baritone.  In Verdi's work, It is as if these words are less remote, that they come from our humanity rather than as a blessing from above: Let perpetual light shine upon…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Not really 9, just 8…

I planned this celebration of a day that I call my new birthday for months. And I was totally convinced that it was the 9 year anniversary of my aortic valve replacement surgery. I was completely convinced. In fact, I wrote these words along with the pictures I shared from our time in the mountains: Celebration day 3 comes to an end with a little walk in the woods. A seriously more enjoyable day than 9 years ago, but a day only made possible by that day 9 years ago. Grateful for a day full of sunshine and activity. Grateful for the science and the faith that made today possible.…
Read More

Hate has no home here…

And a happy Monday to all. I took a long walk in the morning beauty this morning but unlike many mornings I had an itinerary in mind. I wanted to see firsthand the response of the people of St. Marks Capitol Hill to an act of hatred in this peaceful courtyard (a noose was hung from one of the trees recently, apparently a far too often act in DC). The signs are a witness to love in the face of hate. I know, for many, this is a small action, but if you walk the perimeter ( as I did in the video) and this act of saying no to…
Read More

People, look East…the search for hope and wonder

People look East -- the first words of a familiar hymn often sung during Advent.  I'm having trouble leaving the words of this hymn confined within their traditional time frame.  The meaning of time has certainly changed for many of us these past months, and if 2020 changes anything, those changes call me to embrace the hope and preparation of Advent as a lifestyle, not a season. People look East, the time is near. Yesterday, as I rose at an hour all too early and all too cold for the end of December, again, I made my morning calculation -- which way will I walk?  Will I head to the…
Read More

Le Noël des Oiseaux: Recording by Susan Sevier & Cheryl Branham

Usually, right at this moment, I am at one of many locations in my neighborhood, outside.  Walking.  Rain or shine, cold or heat, I have been walking.  Looking at the sunrise, watching the clouds, observing the few other socially-distancing dog walkers or runners or the occasional package pirate on a scooter streaming away with their prize. There is supposed to be snow falling outside my window right now, but I live in the great DC Snow Hole, so what we have instead is freezing wind with the promise of freezing rain as the invisible sun moves on its invisible journey around the planet. But, in the expectation of snow, I…
Read More

March 24 – 27, 2020: Seeing with no words

I haven't had anything to say for a few days, but that doesn't mean that my eyes aren't wide open. I just can't translated what I see into any kind of verbal expression. I am lucky in that our confinement begins in the middle of the blooming season in the neighborhood. So much beauty to be seen. And so, instead of words, I share all that I have seen as I venture not to far from my home f you want to take a look, too. March 24, 2020 March 25, 2020 March 27, 2020 March 26, 2020
Read More

I had a plan this weekend…

I had a plan this weekend.  My experience is that these are dangerous words, and this weekend's result was no different. I thought that the plan was simple.  For weeks, I have been culling my closet for items that could have  a better, more useful home.  This was not a general pull and pitch -- I was gathering clothing to go to the group Suited for Change, an organization of women who lift up other women by providing them with office-suitable clothing at the moment they most need it, the moment when they take that step from recovery of any kind into the world of work.  I knew that I…
Read More

September, days of heat and remembrance…

The sun is just barely showing pink between the buildings across the street, so I don't know yet if the sky will be that frightening clear blue color today.  It was, that day, and the day after. It is a color and a clarity that I apparently cannot forget.  That kind of blue, to this day, makes me shudder with remembrance. And just like another day long ago, I am up early, suited in my workout clothes, ready to head to the gym, because I have a long list of things to "accomplish" today.  I do not need to drive to Baltimore as then; today it is emails and getting…
Read More

The gift of life…

It seems quite funny to me that in all these years of sharing my thoughts randomly with those of you in the digi-verse, apparently, I have never paused to converse with you about Thanksgiving.  Oh yes, I often express ideas about gratitude and blessing, but I have not paused to reflect on the one day that we as a people set aside each year to remind us, well, to do just that.  I would like to think that that omission is because an attitude of gratitude has been a dominant theme in my life for years. But maybe not.  Thanksgiving, as it was taught to me (and to most of…
Read More

Lux aeterna luceat eis…

One of my favorite parts of Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem is the Lux Aeterna, Movement 6. I've only sung it a few times, but I suppose that I like it so much because the voicing is unexpected.  These beautiful words of peace and comfort are usually given to the soprano to sing, giving them an ethereal presence instead of the more grounded one that comes from a trio made up of the three lower voices: the mezzo, the tenor, and the bass/baritone.  In Verdi's work, It is as if these words are less remote, that they come from our humanity rather than as a blessing from above: Let perpetual light shine upon…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Not really 9, just 8…

I planned this celebration of a day that I call my new birthday for months. And I was totally convinced that it was the 9 year anniversary of my aortic valve replacement surgery. I was completely convinced. In fact, I wrote these words along with the pictures I shared from our time in the mountains: Celebration day 3 comes to an end with a little walk in the woods. A seriously more enjoyable day than 9 years ago, but a day only made possible by that day 9 years ago. Grateful for a day full of sunshine and activity. Grateful for the science and the faith that made today possible.…
Read More

Hate has no home here…

And a happy Monday to all. I took a long walk in the morning beauty this morning but unlike many mornings I had an itinerary in mind. I wanted to see firsthand the response of the people of St. Marks Capitol Hill to an act of hatred in this peaceful courtyard (a noose was hung from one of the trees recently, apparently a far too often act in DC). The signs are a witness to love in the face of hate. I know, for many, this is a small action, but if you walk the perimeter ( as I did in the video) and this act of saying no to…
Read More

People, look East…the search for hope and wonder

People look East -- the first words of a familiar hymn often sung during Advent.  I'm having trouble leaving the words of this hymn confined within their traditional time frame.  The meaning of time has certainly changed for many of us these past months, and if 2020 changes anything, those changes call me to embrace the hope and preparation of Advent as a lifestyle, not a season. People look East, the time is near. Yesterday, as I rose at an hour all too early and all too cold for the end of December, again, I made my morning calculation -- which way will I walk?  Will I head to the…
Read More

Le Noël des Oiseaux: Recording by Susan Sevier & Cheryl Branham

Usually, right at this moment, I am at one of many locations in my neighborhood, outside.  Walking.  Rain or shine, cold or heat, I have been walking.  Looking at the sunrise, watching the clouds, observing the few other socially-distancing dog walkers or runners or the occasional package pirate on a scooter streaming away with their prize. There is supposed to be snow falling outside my window right now, but I live in the great DC Snow Hole, so what we have instead is freezing wind with the promise of freezing rain as the invisible sun moves on its invisible journey around the planet. But, in the expectation of snow, I…
Read More

March 24 – 27, 2020: Seeing with no words

I haven't had anything to say for a few days, but that doesn't mean that my eyes aren't wide open. I just can't translated what I see into any kind of verbal expression. I am lucky in that our confinement begins in the middle of the blooming season in the neighborhood. So much beauty to be seen. And so, instead of words, I share all that I have seen as I venture not to far from my home f you want to take a look, too. March 24, 2020 March 25, 2020 March 27, 2020 March 26, 2020
Read More

I had a plan this weekend…

I had a plan this weekend.  My experience is that these are dangerous words, and this weekend's result was no different. I thought that the plan was simple.  For weeks, I have been culling my closet for items that could have  a better, more useful home.  This was not a general pull and pitch -- I was gathering clothing to go to the group Suited for Change, an organization of women who lift up other women by providing them with office-suitable clothing at the moment they most need it, the moment when they take that step from recovery of any kind into the world of work.  I knew that I…
Read More

September, days of heat and remembrance…

The sun is just barely showing pink between the buildings across the street, so I don't know yet if the sky will be that frightening clear blue color today.  It was, that day, and the day after. It is a color and a clarity that I apparently cannot forget.  That kind of blue, to this day, makes me shudder with remembrance. And just like another day long ago, I am up early, suited in my workout clothes, ready to head to the gym, because I have a long list of things to "accomplish" today.  I do not need to drive to Baltimore as then; today it is emails and getting…
Read More

The gift of life…

It seems quite funny to me that in all these years of sharing my thoughts randomly with those of you in the digi-verse, apparently, I have never paused to converse with you about Thanksgiving.  Oh yes, I often express ideas about gratitude and blessing, but I have not paused to reflect on the one day that we as a people set aside each year to remind us, well, to do just that.  I would like to think that that omission is because an attitude of gratitude has been a dominant theme in my life for years. But maybe not.  Thanksgiving, as it was taught to me (and to most of…
Read More

Lux aeterna luceat eis…

One of my favorite parts of Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem is the Lux Aeterna, Movement 6. I've only sung it a few times, but I suppose that I like it so much because the voicing is unexpected.  These beautiful words of peace and comfort are usually given to the soprano to sing, giving them an ethereal presence instead of the more grounded one that comes from a trio made up of the three lower voices: the mezzo, the tenor, and the bass/baritone.  In Verdi's work, It is as if these words are less remote, that they come from our humanity rather than as a blessing from above: Let perpetual light shine upon…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Not really 9, just 8…

I planned this celebration of a day that I call my new birthday for months. And I was totally convinced that it was the 9 year anniversary of my aortic valve replacement surgery. I was completely convinced. In fact, I wrote these words along with the pictures I shared from our time in the mountains: Celebration day 3 comes to an end with a little walk in the woods. A seriously more enjoyable day than 9 years ago, but a day only made possible by that day 9 years ago. Grateful for a day full of sunshine and activity. Grateful for the science and the faith that made today possible.…
Read More

Hate has no home here…

And a happy Monday to all. I took a long walk in the morning beauty this morning but unlike many mornings I had an itinerary in mind. I wanted to see firsthand the response of the people of St. Marks Capitol Hill to an act of hatred in this peaceful courtyard (a noose was hung from one of the trees recently, apparently a far too often act in DC). The signs are a witness to love in the face of hate. I know, for many, this is a small action, but if you walk the perimeter ( as I did in the video) and this act of saying no to…
Read More

People, look East…the search for hope and wonder

People look East -- the first words of a familiar hymn often sung during Advent.  I'm having trouble leaving the words of this hymn confined within their traditional time frame.  The meaning of time has certainly changed for many of us these past months, and if 2020 changes anything, those changes call me to embrace the hope and preparation of Advent as a lifestyle, not a season. People look East, the time is near. Yesterday, as I rose at an hour all too early and all too cold for the end of December, again, I made my morning calculation -- which way will I walk?  Will I head to the…
Read More

Le Noël des Oiseaux: Recording by Susan Sevier & Cheryl Branham

Usually, right at this moment, I am at one of many locations in my neighborhood, outside.  Walking.  Rain or shine, cold or heat, I have been walking.  Looking at the sunrise, watching the clouds, observing the few other socially-distancing dog walkers or runners or the occasional package pirate on a scooter streaming away with their prize. There is supposed to be snow falling outside my window right now, but I live in the great DC Snow Hole, so what we have instead is freezing wind with the promise of freezing rain as the invisible sun moves on its invisible journey around the planet. But, in the expectation of snow, I…
Read More

March 24 – 27, 2020: Seeing with no words

I haven't had anything to say for a few days, but that doesn't mean that my eyes aren't wide open. I just can't translated what I see into any kind of verbal expression. I am lucky in that our confinement begins in the middle of the blooming season in the neighborhood. So much beauty to be seen. And so, instead of words, I share all that I have seen as I venture not to far from my home f you want to take a look, too. March 24, 2020 March 25, 2020 March 27, 2020 March 26, 2020
Read More

I had a plan this weekend…

I had a plan this weekend.  My experience is that these are dangerous words, and this weekend's result was no different. I thought that the plan was simple.  For weeks, I have been culling my closet for items that could have  a better, more useful home.  This was not a general pull and pitch -- I was gathering clothing to go to the group Suited for Change, an organization of women who lift up other women by providing them with office-suitable clothing at the moment they most need it, the moment when they take that step from recovery of any kind into the world of work.  I knew that I…
Read More

September, days of heat and remembrance…

The sun is just barely showing pink between the buildings across the street, so I don't know yet if the sky will be that frightening clear blue color today.  It was, that day, and the day after. It is a color and a clarity that I apparently cannot forget.  That kind of blue, to this day, makes me shudder with remembrance. And just like another day long ago, I am up early, suited in my workout clothes, ready to head to the gym, because I have a long list of things to "accomplish" today.  I do not need to drive to Baltimore as then; today it is emails and getting…
Read More

The gift of life…

It seems quite funny to me that in all these years of sharing my thoughts randomly with those of you in the digi-verse, apparently, I have never paused to converse with you about Thanksgiving.  Oh yes, I often express ideas about gratitude and blessing, but I have not paused to reflect on the one day that we as a people set aside each year to remind us, well, to do just that.  I would like to think that that omission is because an attitude of gratitude has been a dominant theme in my life for years. But maybe not.  Thanksgiving, as it was taught to me (and to most of…
Read More

Lux aeterna luceat eis…

One of my favorite parts of Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem is the Lux Aeterna, Movement 6. I've only sung it a few times, but I suppose that I like it so much because the voicing is unexpected.  These beautiful words of peace and comfort are usually given to the soprano to sing, giving them an ethereal presence instead of the more grounded one that comes from a trio made up of the three lower voices: the mezzo, the tenor, and the bass/baritone.  In Verdi's work, It is as if these words are less remote, that they come from our humanity rather than as a blessing from above: Let perpetual light shine upon…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Not really 9, just 8…

I planned this celebration of a day that I call my new birthday for months. And I was totally convinced that it was the 9 year anniversary of my aortic valve replacement surgery. I was completely convinced. In fact, I wrote these words along with the pictures I shared from our time in the mountains: Celebration day 3 comes to an end with a little walk in the woods. A seriously more enjoyable day than 9 years ago, but a day only made possible by that day 9 years ago. Grateful for a day full of sunshine and activity. Grateful for the science and the faith that made today possible.…
Read More

Hate has no home here…

And a happy Monday to all. I took a long walk in the morning beauty this morning but unlike many mornings I had an itinerary in mind. I wanted to see firsthand the response of the people of St. Marks Capitol Hill to an act of hatred in this peaceful courtyard (a noose was hung from one of the trees recently, apparently a far too often act in DC). The signs are a witness to love in the face of hate. I know, for many, this is a small action, but if you walk the perimeter ( as I did in the video) and this act of saying no to…
Read More

People, look East…the search for hope and wonder

People look East -- the first words of a familiar hymn often sung during Advent.  I'm having trouble leaving the words of this hymn confined within their traditional time frame.  The meaning of time has certainly changed for many of us these past months, and if 2020 changes anything, those changes call me to embrace the hope and preparation of Advent as a lifestyle, not a season. People look East, the time is near. Yesterday, as I rose at an hour all too early and all too cold for the end of December, again, I made my morning calculation -- which way will I walk?  Will I head to the…
Read More

Le Noël des Oiseaux: Recording by Susan Sevier & Cheryl Branham

Usually, right at this moment, I am at one of many locations in my neighborhood, outside.  Walking.  Rain or shine, cold or heat, I have been walking.  Looking at the sunrise, watching the clouds, observing the few other socially-distancing dog walkers or runners or the occasional package pirate on a scooter streaming away with their prize. There is supposed to be snow falling outside my window right now, but I live in the great DC Snow Hole, so what we have instead is freezing wind with the promise of freezing rain as the invisible sun moves on its invisible journey around the planet. But, in the expectation of snow, I…
Read More

March 24 – 27, 2020: Seeing with no words

I haven't had anything to say for a few days, but that doesn't mean that my eyes aren't wide open. I just can't translated what I see into any kind of verbal expression. I am lucky in that our confinement begins in the middle of the blooming season in the neighborhood. So much beauty to be seen. And so, instead of words, I share all that I have seen as I venture not to far from my home f you want to take a look, too. March 24, 2020 March 25, 2020 March 27, 2020 March 26, 2020
Read More

I had a plan this weekend…

I had a plan this weekend.  My experience is that these are dangerous words, and this weekend's result was no different. I thought that the plan was simple.  For weeks, I have been culling my closet for items that could have  a better, more useful home.  This was not a general pull and pitch -- I was gathering clothing to go to the group Suited for Change, an organization of women who lift up other women by providing them with office-suitable clothing at the moment they most need it, the moment when they take that step from recovery of any kind into the world of work.  I knew that I…
Read More

September, days of heat and remembrance…

The sun is just barely showing pink between the buildings across the street, so I don't know yet if the sky will be that frightening clear blue color today.  It was, that day, and the day after. It is a color and a clarity that I apparently cannot forget.  That kind of blue, to this day, makes me shudder with remembrance. And just like another day long ago, I am up early, suited in my workout clothes, ready to head to the gym, because I have a long list of things to "accomplish" today.  I do not need to drive to Baltimore as then; today it is emails and getting…
Read More

The gift of life…

It seems quite funny to me that in all these years of sharing my thoughts randomly with those of you in the digi-verse, apparently, I have never paused to converse with you about Thanksgiving.  Oh yes, I often express ideas about gratitude and blessing, but I have not paused to reflect on the one day that we as a people set aside each year to remind us, well, to do just that.  I would like to think that that omission is because an attitude of gratitude has been a dominant theme in my life for years. But maybe not.  Thanksgiving, as it was taught to me (and to most of…
Read More

Lux aeterna luceat eis…

One of my favorite parts of Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem is the Lux Aeterna, Movement 6. I've only sung it a few times, but I suppose that I like it so much because the voicing is unexpected.  These beautiful words of peace and comfort are usually given to the soprano to sing, giving them an ethereal presence instead of the more grounded one that comes from a trio made up of the three lower voices: the mezzo, the tenor, and the bass/baritone.  In Verdi's work, It is as if these words are less remote, that they come from our humanity rather than as a blessing from above: Let perpetual light shine upon…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Not really 9, just 8…

I planned this celebration of a day that I call my new birthday for months. And I was totally convinced that it was the 9 year anniversary of my aortic valve replacement surgery. I was completely convinced. In fact, I wrote these words along with the pictures I shared from our time in the mountains: Celebration day 3 comes to an end with a little walk in the woods. A seriously more enjoyable day than 9 years ago, but a day only made possible by that day 9 years ago. Grateful for a day full of sunshine and activity. Grateful for the science and the faith that made today possible.…
Read More

Hate has no home here…

And a happy Monday to all. I took a long walk in the morning beauty this morning but unlike many mornings I had an itinerary in mind. I wanted to see firsthand the response of the people of St. Marks Capitol Hill to an act of hatred in this peaceful courtyard (a noose was hung from one of the trees recently, apparently a far too often act in DC). The signs are a witness to love in the face of hate. I know, for many, this is a small action, but if you walk the perimeter ( as I did in the video) and this act of saying no to…
Read More

People, look East…the search for hope and wonder

People look East -- the first words of a familiar hymn often sung during Advent.  I'm having trouble leaving the words of this hymn confined within their traditional time frame.  The meaning of time has certainly changed for many of us these past months, and if 2020 changes anything, those changes call me to embrace the hope and preparation of Advent as a lifestyle, not a season. People look East, the time is near. Yesterday, as I rose at an hour all too early and all too cold for the end of December, again, I made my morning calculation -- which way will I walk?  Will I head to the…
Read More

Le Noël des Oiseaux: Recording by Susan Sevier & Cheryl Branham

Usually, right at this moment, I am at one of many locations in my neighborhood, outside.  Walking.  Rain or shine, cold or heat, I have been walking.  Looking at the sunrise, watching the clouds, observing the few other socially-distancing dog walkers or runners or the occasional package pirate on a scooter streaming away with their prize. There is supposed to be snow falling outside my window right now, but I live in the great DC Snow Hole, so what we have instead is freezing wind with the promise of freezing rain as the invisible sun moves on its invisible journey around the planet. But, in the expectation of snow, I…
Read More

March 24 – 27, 2020: Seeing with no words

I haven't had anything to say for a few days, but that doesn't mean that my eyes aren't wide open. I just can't translated what I see into any kind of verbal expression. I am lucky in that our confinement begins in the middle of the blooming season in the neighborhood. So much beauty to be seen. And so, instead of words, I share all that I have seen as I venture not to far from my home f you want to take a look, too. March 24, 2020 March 25, 2020 March 27, 2020 March 26, 2020
Read More

I had a plan this weekend…

I had a plan this weekend.  My experience is that these are dangerous words, and this weekend's result was no different. I thought that the plan was simple.  For weeks, I have been culling my closet for items that could have  a better, more useful home.  This was not a general pull and pitch -- I was gathering clothing to go to the group Suited for Change, an organization of women who lift up other women by providing them with office-suitable clothing at the moment they most need it, the moment when they take that step from recovery of any kind into the world of work.  I knew that I…
Read More

September, days of heat and remembrance…

The sun is just barely showing pink between the buildings across the street, so I don't know yet if the sky will be that frightening clear blue color today.  It was, that day, and the day after. It is a color and a clarity that I apparently cannot forget.  That kind of blue, to this day, makes me shudder with remembrance. And just like another day long ago, I am up early, suited in my workout clothes, ready to head to the gym, because I have a long list of things to "accomplish" today.  I do not need to drive to Baltimore as then; today it is emails and getting…
Read More

The gift of life…

It seems quite funny to me that in all these years of sharing my thoughts randomly with those of you in the digi-verse, apparently, I have never paused to converse with you about Thanksgiving.  Oh yes, I often express ideas about gratitude and blessing, but I have not paused to reflect on the one day that we as a people set aside each year to remind us, well, to do just that.  I would like to think that that omission is because an attitude of gratitude has been a dominant theme in my life for years. But maybe not.  Thanksgiving, as it was taught to me (and to most of…
Read More

Lux aeterna luceat eis…

One of my favorite parts of Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem is the Lux Aeterna, Movement 6. I've only sung it a few times, but I suppose that I like it so much because the voicing is unexpected.  These beautiful words of peace and comfort are usually given to the soprano to sing, giving them an ethereal presence instead of the more grounded one that comes from a trio made up of the three lower voices: the mezzo, the tenor, and the bass/baritone.  In Verdi's work, It is as if these words are less remote, that they come from our humanity rather than as a blessing from above: Let perpetual light shine upon…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Not really 9, just 8…

I planned this celebration of a day that I call my new birthday for months. And I was totally convinced that it was the 9 year anniversary of my aortic valve replacement surgery. I was completely convinced. In fact, I wrote these words along with the pictures I shared from our time in the mountains: Celebration day 3 comes to an end with a little walk in the woods. A seriously more enjoyable day than 9 years ago, but a day only made possible by that day 9 years ago. Grateful for a day full of sunshine and activity. Grateful for the science and the faith that made today possible.…
Read More

Hate has no home here…

And a happy Monday to all. I took a long walk in the morning beauty this morning but unlike many mornings I had an itinerary in mind. I wanted to see firsthand the response of the people of St. Marks Capitol Hill to an act of hatred in this peaceful courtyard (a noose was hung from one of the trees recently, apparently a far too often act in DC). The signs are a witness to love in the face of hate. I know, for many, this is a small action, but if you walk the perimeter ( as I did in the video) and this act of saying no to…
Read More

People, look East…the search for hope and wonder

People look East -- the first words of a familiar hymn often sung during Advent.  I'm having trouble leaving the words of this hymn confined within their traditional time frame.  The meaning of time has certainly changed for many of us these past months, and if 2020 changes anything, those changes call me to embrace the hope and preparation of Advent as a lifestyle, not a season. People look East, the time is near. Yesterday, as I rose at an hour all too early and all too cold for the end of December, again, I made my morning calculation -- which way will I walk?  Will I head to the…
Read More

Le Noël des Oiseaux: Recording by Susan Sevier & Cheryl Branham

Usually, right at this moment, I am at one of many locations in my neighborhood, outside.  Walking.  Rain or shine, cold or heat, I have been walking.  Looking at the sunrise, watching the clouds, observing the few other socially-distancing dog walkers or runners or the occasional package pirate on a scooter streaming away with their prize. There is supposed to be snow falling outside my window right now, but I live in the great DC Snow Hole, so what we have instead is freezing wind with the promise of freezing rain as the invisible sun moves on its invisible journey around the planet. But, in the expectation of snow, I…
Read More

March 24 – 27, 2020: Seeing with no words

I haven't had anything to say for a few days, but that doesn't mean that my eyes aren't wide open. I just can't translated what I see into any kind of verbal expression. I am lucky in that our confinement begins in the middle of the blooming season in the neighborhood. So much beauty to be seen. And so, instead of words, I share all that I have seen as I venture not to far from my home f you want to take a look, too. March 24, 2020 March 25, 2020 March 27, 2020 March 26, 2020
Read More

I had a plan this weekend…

I had a plan this weekend.  My experience is that these are dangerous words, and this weekend's result was no different. I thought that the plan was simple.  For weeks, I have been culling my closet for items that could have  a better, more useful home.  This was not a general pull and pitch -- I was gathering clothing to go to the group Suited for Change, an organization of women who lift up other women by providing them with office-suitable clothing at the moment they most need it, the moment when they take that step from recovery of any kind into the world of work.  I knew that I…
Read More

September, days of heat and remembrance…

The sun is just barely showing pink between the buildings across the street, so I don't know yet if the sky will be that frightening clear blue color today.  It was, that day, and the day after. It is a color and a clarity that I apparently cannot forget.  That kind of blue, to this day, makes me shudder with remembrance. And just like another day long ago, I am up early, suited in my workout clothes, ready to head to the gym, because I have a long list of things to "accomplish" today.  I do not need to drive to Baltimore as then; today it is emails and getting…
Read More

The gift of life…

It seems quite funny to me that in all these years of sharing my thoughts randomly with those of you in the digi-verse, apparently, I have never paused to converse with you about Thanksgiving.  Oh yes, I often express ideas about gratitude and blessing, but I have not paused to reflect on the one day that we as a people set aside each year to remind us, well, to do just that.  I would like to think that that omission is because an attitude of gratitude has been a dominant theme in my life for years. But maybe not.  Thanksgiving, as it was taught to me (and to most of…
Read More

Lux aeterna luceat eis…

One of my favorite parts of Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem is the Lux Aeterna, Movement 6. I've only sung it a few times, but I suppose that I like it so much because the voicing is unexpected.  These beautiful words of peace and comfort are usually given to the soprano to sing, giving them an ethereal presence instead of the more grounded one that comes from a trio made up of the three lower voices: the mezzo, the tenor, and the bass/baritone.  In Verdi's work, It is as if these words are less remote, that they come from our humanity rather than as a blessing from above: Let perpetual light shine upon…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Not really 9, just 8…

I planned this celebration of a day that I call my new birthday for months. And I was totally convinced that it was the 9 year anniversary of my aortic valve replacement surgery. I was completely convinced. In fact, I wrote these words along with the pictures I shared from our time in the mountains: Celebration day 3 comes to an end with a little walk in the woods. A seriously more enjoyable day than 9 years ago, but a day only made possible by that day 9 years ago. Grateful for a day full of sunshine and activity. Grateful for the science and the faith that made today possible.…
Read More

Hate has no home here…

And a happy Monday to all. I took a long walk in the morning beauty this morning but unlike many mornings I had an itinerary in mind. I wanted to see firsthand the response of the people of St. Marks Capitol Hill to an act of hatred in this peaceful courtyard (a noose was hung from one of the trees recently, apparently a far too often act in DC). The signs are a witness to love in the face of hate. I know, for many, this is a small action, but if you walk the perimeter ( as I did in the video) and this act of saying no to…
Read More

People, look East…the search for hope and wonder

People look East -- the first words of a familiar hymn often sung during Advent.  I'm having trouble leaving the words of this hymn confined within their traditional time frame.  The meaning of time has certainly changed for many of us these past months, and if 2020 changes anything, those changes call me to embrace the hope and preparation of Advent as a lifestyle, not a season. People look East, the time is near. Yesterday, as I rose at an hour all too early and all too cold for the end of December, again, I made my morning calculation -- which way will I walk?  Will I head to the…
Read More

Le Noël des Oiseaux: Recording by Susan Sevier & Cheryl Branham

Usually, right at this moment, I am at one of many locations in my neighborhood, outside.  Walking.  Rain or shine, cold or heat, I have been walking.  Looking at the sunrise, watching the clouds, observing the few other socially-distancing dog walkers or runners or the occasional package pirate on a scooter streaming away with their prize. There is supposed to be snow falling outside my window right now, but I live in the great DC Snow Hole, so what we have instead is freezing wind with the promise of freezing rain as the invisible sun moves on its invisible journey around the planet. But, in the expectation of snow, I…
Read More

March 24 – 27, 2020: Seeing with no words

I haven't had anything to say for a few days, but that doesn't mean that my eyes aren't wide open. I just can't translated what I see into any kind of verbal expression. I am lucky in that our confinement begins in the middle of the blooming season in the neighborhood. So much beauty to be seen. And so, instead of words, I share all that I have seen as I venture not to far from my home f you want to take a look, too. March 24, 2020 March 25, 2020 March 27, 2020 March 26, 2020
Read More

I had a plan this weekend…

I had a plan this weekend.  My experience is that these are dangerous words, and this weekend's result was no different. I thought that the plan was simple.  For weeks, I have been culling my closet for items that could have  a better, more useful home.  This was not a general pull and pitch -- I was gathering clothing to go to the group Suited for Change, an organization of women who lift up other women by providing them with office-suitable clothing at the moment they most need it, the moment when they take that step from recovery of any kind into the world of work.  I knew that I…
Read More

September, days of heat and remembrance…

The sun is just barely showing pink between the buildings across the street, so I don't know yet if the sky will be that frightening clear blue color today.  It was, that day, and the day after. It is a color and a clarity that I apparently cannot forget.  That kind of blue, to this day, makes me shudder with remembrance. And just like another day long ago, I am up early, suited in my workout clothes, ready to head to the gym, because I have a long list of things to "accomplish" today.  I do not need to drive to Baltimore as then; today it is emails and getting…
Read More

The gift of life…

It seems quite funny to me that in all these years of sharing my thoughts randomly with those of you in the digi-verse, apparently, I have never paused to converse with you about Thanksgiving.  Oh yes, I often express ideas about gratitude and blessing, but I have not paused to reflect on the one day that we as a people set aside each year to remind us, well, to do just that.  I would like to think that that omission is because an attitude of gratitude has been a dominant theme in my life for years. But maybe not.  Thanksgiving, as it was taught to me (and to most of…
Read More

Lux aeterna luceat eis…

One of my favorite parts of Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem is the Lux Aeterna, Movement 6. I've only sung it a few times, but I suppose that I like it so much because the voicing is unexpected.  These beautiful words of peace and comfort are usually given to the soprano to sing, giving them an ethereal presence instead of the more grounded one that comes from a trio made up of the three lower voices: the mezzo, the tenor, and the bass/baritone.  In Verdi's work, It is as if these words are less remote, that they come from our humanity rather than as a blessing from above: Let perpetual light shine upon…
Read More