anxiety noun anx·i·ety \aŋ-ˈzī-ə-tē\ : fear or nervousness about what might happen Day 1 of 9. My surf coach Rachel is sitting atop a blue foam longboard about 4 feet away when she points into the waters below her and says in a casual Australian accent, “Hey, look over here at this cool fish!” I start to paddle…
Continue reading >While I stand with the Unity Principles as set forth by the Women’s March on Washington, the abortion issue calls forth in me an answer that includes both sides. In December of 2001, just days before Christmas, I had an abortion. Back from college for Christmas break with the push of finals behind me, I was able…
Continue reading >As the media-coined “Stanford Rape Case” went viral over this past week, it revealed the essence of a “rape culture” that rightfully invokes rage in many of us. Details of the case and its sentencing struck the deep trenches of injustice. As strong emotions surfaced in the media and online in response to the case,…
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Please enjoy this Holiday Story I wrote about the importance of living your purpose. During a time of year when elves all over the world hung from light fixtures, peeked out from chimneys, and hid behind kitchen appliances, there was a particular elf named Hans who remained in a garage packed in a cardboard box marked…
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Going to Bali or thinking of traveling there? I recently returned from a 6 week trip to Bali and Sumba in Indonesia. Half of the trip I traveled solo, and the other half split between time with a dear friend and my husband. Here are my notes and suggestions for anyone who might find them…
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I Choose Love welcomes guest blogger, Nicola Ducharme of The Naturopathic Mama! Below, Nicola discusses her road to success as a doctor, wife, and mom and how choosing love is essential for those with big dreams. I am a forty-something, new-ish mom. As I sit here, it occurs to me (certainly not for the first time)…
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A couple days before my Indonesian adventure came to a close, my dear friend MaryCay Durrant sent me an email that closed with the words, “Hello, new friend!” What a gift those three little words are. They are a gift to someone like me who is coming home from a long journey, and as I…
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Half way around the globe from my home in the San Francisco Bay Area, I found a village that knows how to wake up. In Seririt on Bali’s north coast, I stayed at retreat perched upon a hillside overlooking rice fields and the ocean. This was the perfect place to experience sunrise in Seririt, which…
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On April 22nd, my husband, a friend, and I took on the challenge of not drinking for 100 days that ended with July 31st’s blue moon. Here are 10 things that came to light: 1. It was easy and enjoyable! 2. There is a huge opening in the market for a non-alcoholic drink to complement…
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“Pilgrims are persons in motion, passing through territories not their own, seeking something we might call completion, or perhaps the word clarity will do as well, a goal to which only the spirit’s compass points the way.” – Richard R. Niebuhr During WWII, my great grandmother “Obachan” was a widow raising three daughters in Hiroshima, home…
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