Spirit Matters

During my childhood, Christmas was magic.

As a Gen-X kid, sitcoms and soap operas were my thing in the 70s and 80s.

One of the beautiful aspects of poetry is that a single poem can carry a thousand meanings, depending on the reader and the circumstances under which it is read.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, let’s talk about gratitude.

Although the calendar says we still have a month to go, we are beginning our long descent into winter, literally and metaphorically.

Saint Pope John Paul II was a man of keen intellect and deep insight into the nature of man and woman.

Women’s bodies are a complex blend of matter and soul, spirit and emotion.

It often happens when I slowly awaken to the day, some snippet from Jesus’s teachings will come to mind.

As a trusted source of tips on being spiritually well, I offer you a time-tested prescription this week.

Consciously choosing to think and behave according to your values will have consequences, especially when they are different from those of the people around you.

Several months ago, my husband and I began watching “The Chosen,” a dramatization of the complex lives of Jesus’s disciples.

“Names have power like magic spells.”

This week, I caught up with a former colleague from The Times Newspaper.

This past week, my youngest brother turned 48 years old.

This past week, my husband and I watched “Mission Pluto” on the National Geographic channel.

Our souls give us the ability to learn, grow, question, study the arts and humanities, science and mathematics – and to find meaning in them – not just as they apply now, but how they have evolved over thousands of generations and numerous civilizations.

Autumn is written into my bones – so much so that these shifts in the atmosphere that take place each year register deep within my soul.

Gus Walz showed the world this week what it means to live with embodied heart.

What is your favorite thing about being alive?

When was the last time you gave your soul a nature bath?

It is an election year, and you know what that means. We are submerged in a sea of soul-depleting negative energy. There seems to be no escape from it.

When Bob Newhart died last week at the age of 94, I felt a personal loss.

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.