Author Archives: Lauren

Thoughts on December 22nd: The Top Ten Reasons I want the world to continue tomorrow

Tomorrow morning a woman will stir from her sleep, sit up in her bed, touch her belly, and realize for the first time that there is a new life growing inside of her. And I want to be able to … Continue reading

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Be Blessed: The next time you groan — stop and listen. You just may hear angels singing.

It was still dark one morning last month, when Jennifer Dempsey was awakened by the sound of her infant daughter babbling away happily in her crib.  Rolling over, still half asleep, she checked her clock and  saw that it was … Continue reading

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Saying Goodbye to Bingo: A Life Lesson in Letting Go of Life

I.   Our family had a special voice we used in order to talk on behalf of our dog, Bingo. “Bingo’s voice” was high pitched and raspy — a sort hybrid of whininess and spunk. A blend of his adorable neurosis … Continue reading

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Be Compassionate: “I hope you have a hard life,too!” — an outburst overheard and understood

I honestly can’t say what the fight was about. I was only there to witness its conclusion. And just barely that. I was walking out of the drugstore yesterday with my  purchase in hand, smiling and feeling the sun and … Continue reading

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Be Aware: Training Your “Puppy Mind”

A puppy can be trained to be a faithful and loving companion. So can your mind. Practitioners of meditation often use the term “monkey mind” to describe the untrained mind: a mind that grasps wildly and randomly at whatever passes … Continue reading

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Be Choosy: Thoughts are Like Music. Listen to the Stuff You Like.

A wise person once said to me that listening to negative thoughts all day is like having the world’s largest CD collection (or I guess nowadays we would say “The world’s largest iTunes library) and all day choosing to listen … Continue reading

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Be The Answer: Alec’s Story (or “The only answer to a prayer I ever needed”)

I’ve been an educator most of my adult life.  Over the years I’ve seen many children whose small and innocent lives were consumed with anger and depression — traumatized by violence, deprivation, and untenable circumstances. But, there was one boy … Continue reading

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Enlightenment of the Middle Ages: Spiritual Lessons I Have Learned in Midlife

I will be forty-eight this summer. Which means if I live to be one-hundred (which is an actual goal) I am squarely and undeniably smack dab in the middle of my life. Middle age has its petty annoyances. It also … Continue reading

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How To Be Relaxed: Making the Most of Your Time

Do you ever have the feeling that you are racing against time? That you have too much to do and too little time to do it? It’s a common problem and its results can be devastating, leaving us with feelings … Continue reading

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How To Be Courageous: Understanding Fear

Last week, a member of the “Your To Be List” Facebook Community asked a question regarding fear. Her fears were not unusual: health, aging, and finances — I think many of us can relate. In fact, I think we can … Continue reading

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