Plant A Seed

“Talking until you are blue in the face, Stubborn as a mule, Too close minded to take it in, Set in their ways”… I’m sure you have heard it all before.

You attempt to offer guidance or advice – make your voice heard or get your point across all to no avail. It feels next to impossible to mend, develop or nurture a relationship with anyone if you are unable to see eye to eye. But is it?

Sure, if you do not have a pathway to open communication it can feel like all is for naught, you will never reach common ground. What is left unaddressed usually festers and the divide widens, leaving one party feeling alone and bereft. What are you supposed to do? Read More


Lessons My Father Taught Me

I hope you will enjoy a Free Bird Times news article I wrote about my Dad, ‘Woody’ in June of 2007.
Although he passed in 2018, he continues to impart his wisdom.
May your Dad, wherever he may be, continue to inspire, support and love you.

 

It’s no coincidence June 17th is not only Father’s Day, but Eat Your Vegetables Day as well. If it weren’t for fathers, or mothers, for that matter, telling us we could not leave the table until we ate our vegetables, imagine all the bushels and bunches of vegetables that may have gone to waste.

It might surprise those who know me to hear me say I do not intend to expound upon the healthy benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables, despite that being one of the lessons my father taught me’. What I prefer to touch upon is something my father has been teaching me my entire life, and the one which has impacted me on the deepest level … the lesson of positive thinking and living. Read More


Mother Others

You do not have to give birth to a child to be a mother. You do not have to have children to be a mother. You can begin with you and expand out to mother others.

If you think about the qualities your mother possesses or possessed, her special traits and effortless actions, you will find that you, too, can mother others even if there are no human children involved.

When thinking about my mother, Leah, the first quality of hers which comes to my mind is compassion. There is no time like the present to shower others with your compassion. The world as we know it is in need of much more compassion and understanding. Read More


Animals Too!

Would you agree that our canine, feline and other non-human companions/family members are as important to as our human companions?

They have their own special way of communicating; we understand and respond accordingly. Oftentimes, we refer to them as our ‘buddy’, ‘good friend’ and ‘family’. We form tight, loving bonds and are often left devastated when our animal companions transition to cross over the ‘rainbow bridge’.

Perhaps you have lost an animal companion and experienced the exact same cycle of emotions as you did when you lost a human family member, friend, spouse or partner. I suspect you know what I am talking about. The same seven stages of grief, as defined by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross: shock or disbelief, denial, anger, bargaining, guilt, depression, acceptance and hope, apply to the grieving process whether you grieve for a human or an animal. Read More


Be Like the Solstice Sun

Many of you are making up for ‘lost time’, the time you were previously confined to your home, the time you were unable to visit with family and friends, or the time you were simply unable to go about your business.

Nowadays there appears to be a certain type of frenetic energy afoot, people running here and there, returning to their daily routines.

But what do you think happens when you go, go, go all the time? You will most likely burn yourself out, find it difficult to catch your breath or wind up running on empty until you peter out altogether.

It does not have to be that way.

Read More


A Mother’s Connection is Eternal

Are you among the hundreds and thousands of women and men who feel a deep sadness and experience an indescribable emptiness concerning the ‘loss’ of your mother, during the month of May?

You cannot help but be reminded of her absence when you are bombarded with an overabundance of flower vendors set up on street corners, jewelry ads running around the clock on the television, and colorful greeting cards adorned with flowers and words celebrating mothers.

Now don’t get me wrong – I love celebrating mothers, and Lord knows they deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated. I remember the first Mother’s Day after my mother, Leah’s, passing – I bought cards for every mother I knew. It was my way of expressing my love and gratitude for my mother.

When the month of May rolls in, there can be a twinge, a bit of a challenge to get through ‘the day’, if your mother is no longer in the physical form. That ‘loss’ pulls at your heart strings and turns an otherwise celebratory day, into a day of sadness and sometimes regret. Read More


Time ~ A Precious Commodity

If you cannot be all things to all beings, be the best you can be to those with whom you share your life. Rather than stretching yourself thin and doing something half-baked, spread yourself thick and do it wholeheartedly. Many attempt to be all things to all beings and fail miserably or otherwise, which only makes the situation, or yourself, worse off.

While there is something to be said for spontaneity – bravo – there is also something to be said for thinking things through and moving forward with forethought and gusto.

Time is your most precious commodity and often time gets shortchanged because you live with the illusion that it is plentiful and never-ending. That is what you are led to believe. However, that is not the truth of it all. Read More


Always With Us

Our loved ones are always with us, in spirit or otherwise. Then why, as the holidays are upon us, do many grieve the loss of their loved one(s)?

I agree that a physical presence is potent – you can embrace, engage, converse and commiserate with a physical being. However, you can do the same with a loved one in spirit – yes, you may even embrace them!

In order to do so, you must simply believe.

How many of you think you may have had an encounter with a loved one in spirit? Perhaps you heard a voice, received a message, saw an image or likeness, inhaled a familiar scent or fragrance. When that thought crosses your mind, do you dismiss it or do you embrace it?

The choice is yours. Read More


Every Eve is All Hallows Eve

Every eve is All Hallows Eve as far as we are concerned. Yes, we can move through swiftly when the veil is at its thinnest. However, we can move through swiftly and effortlessly anytime providing our conduit, our medium is open, ready to receive and able to get out of her way.

The willingness to listen and be fully present is another prerequisite. You see, we choose the channels of communication we find to be the most accessible. We carefully choose our conduits. There are certain criteria we look for before we reach out to make a connection.

Since it requires some effort on our part, we seek those who are open and able to feel or see the big picture… those who can intuit our visit ahead of time; who ‘set the table’ so to speak, awaiting our arrival because they psychically know we are en route.

Because our connections are so rich and deep and because we long for a meaningful conversation, we seek those who can naturally hold a space for meaningful conversation … two, three, four or more way conversation, with grace and ease. Read More