The Abbey of the Genesee is one of the first monasteries I visited as a young man in Western New York. I can still recall the smell of...

Franciscan monastery in Killala, Ireland from the 16th century Most people I know are way too busy. We are constantly going from texts to...

Sunrise at Rehoboth Beach When I was a Franciscan novice, a bell called us to prayer every morning, noon, evening, and night. Back then,...

Lance-leaved coreopsis I spent this past week at a friend's vacation home in New Hampshire. First thing in the mornings, I walked down to...

Image generated by Adobe Express. After many years in Rochester, NY, my youngest sister is packing up her home to move to another state....

The present moment... If you've been following this blog, you'll recognize this spot. This strip of beach is my favorite place to...

Lately when I've sat down to write these weekly reflections, I'm mostly aware of heaviness and uncertainty. Often I struggle to find...

My first zentangle There are many reasons for gloom these days. Federal friends have lost jobs. The granddaughter of my mother's neighbor...

Last weekend, I led a mini-meditation retreat for a group of friends contemplating retirement and how to approach the last third of life....

House Sparrow in my DC neighborhood I'm a third generation bird lover. My grandmother delighted whenever hummingbirds hovered at the...

Let's do a thought experiment. Answer the question: "Where are you right now?" Stop reading, close your eyes, and see what surfaces.  ...

Maybe because June begins with gay pride , maybe because my birthday falls in the middle of the month, or maybe because I eagerly await...

Maybe because we've reached the long days of summer, maybe because the community pool is open, maybe because the corn is so sweet, maybe...

Wednesday is my birthday. Whether you believe in the Big Bang or "Let there be light.", the stuff of the universe is all the same age,...

"Sometimes contemplation is a place I go , sometimes a practice I do , and sometimes a place I can be ." from Queering Contemplation by...

Everyone is a little queer. Being LGBTQIA+ isn't so much about who you love as it is about recognizing and celebrating difference in all...

“Once upon a time, I dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious...

“The mind creates the abyss, the heart crosses it.” Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj Today's focus is the heart. While cardio usually means a...

University of Delaware School of Music Did you know if a violin is placed on a table without anything touching it and the strings of a...

Ellen, a wise woman and friend, once told me, "That which we love, we never lose. Love just changes form." This week I said goodbye to...