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Oak Communications • Biography
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To read articles that I have written, please
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In my book club we recently read and discussed the book, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Here is an excerpt:
Atticus stood up and walked to the end of the porch. When he completed his examination of the wisteria vine he strolled back to me.
“First of all,” he said, “if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—“
“Sir?”
“— until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”
The book is told from the point of view of Scout, Atticus’s young daughter. In the above passage, Atticus shares with his daughter what turns out to be one of the themes of the book. Such a simple idea to climb into the skin of another person, and yet so hard to put into practice.
To continue reading click: Climbing Into Another Person's Skin
Once again I experienced the power of writing to help me to understand and reflect on my thoughts and feelings. I recently visited my 92 year-old father. He lives in his own home and is in good health, although he is experiencing mild dementia. My older brother lives with Dad now. Robert wanted a week off to attend the Kate Wolf Music Festival and to visit with friends.
My sister-in-law and I each stayed part of the week with Dad, keeping him company, making meals, cleaning the house, and grocery shopping. As a former caregiver for our mother, I recognize how important it is to give Robert a break.
To continue reading click: Writing for Peace of Mind
Last week my husband Mark and I visited Ohio for our niece's high school graduation. It was a celebratory event with family and friends gathered to congratulate Nicole.
During this trip we also visited our friends Kelly and Denny. Five years ago they purchased an 11-acre farm and farmhouse outside of Marietta, Ohio. They are lovingly restoring the house, built in 1811. They have torn out the orange shag carpet, demolished walls to reveal original doorways and even discovered a room in their basement that may have been a hideaway in the Underground Railroad. In the process they are learning about the history of the home and their new community, and they are building strong relationships with their new neighbors and fellow farmers.
Kelly was interested in organic farming and living in harmony with nature long before it became popular.
To continue reading click: Chop Wood, Carry Water
I was riding sweep, bicycling with or behind the last guest to ensure his safety. The road was narrow and lined with lush green trees and plants of many varieties. It was a typical Balinese day in May, 80 degrees Fahrenheit with 80% humidity so that when it started to rain, it was a welcome relief.
I was riding with David, and just ahead of us was a skinny Balinese man on his single-speed bicycle. The rain started to come down in sheets. I saw the Balinese man ahead drop his bike on the side of the road and head down the slope. Without thinking, I motioned to David, as he wouldn't have been able to hear me even if I had tried to speak, to come with me as I followed the Balinese man. We set our bikes down on the edge of the road and slipped our way down the hill.
To continue reading click: >>Spontaneity
On Saturday, my husband and I went to the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco to see the exhibit, The Dragon's Gift: The Sacred Arts of Bhutan. I was entranced by the colorful thankas (painted or embroidered banners that depict Buddhist teachings, the life of the Buddha, and other intricate images) and the film footage of dancers performing in temple ceremonies in brightly colored costumes and masks.
Bhutan is a small country about the size of Switzerland located at the eastern end of the Himalaya Mountains between India and Tibet. It is a Buddhist country whose government has chosen to measure GNH (gross national happiness) in addition to GNP (gross national product). Bhutan's government policies emphasize the preservation of its identity, culture and environment. I have never been to Bhutan, but I would really like to visit there. I wonder what it feels like to be in a country that cherishes the arts and its citizens' happiness, which is not solely defined by economic prosperity.
I have been thinking a lot about happiness recently.
To continue reading click: >>Choosing Happiness
Mom was an English teacher. She loved to read, write, teach others how to write, and coach her students through life's challenges. Her bookshelves overflowed. She wrote notes in the margins of her books, underlined passages, crossed out the word "but" and replaced it with "and." She wrote a book called "Learning Like A Fool" and self-published it before that became a relatively easy thing to do.
I suppose these facts made it all the harder to watch mom's mind decline due to Alzheimer's disease.
To continue reading click: >>Mom Was An English Teacher
To read article click: >>Knowing When To Ask For Help
To read article click: >>Rituals for the New Year
To read article click: >>Forgive for Good
To read article click: >>Web 2.0 - A Primer
To read article click: >>Picking Blackberries
To read article click: >>My Cat Salsa
To read article click: >>Awakening Possibility
To read article click: >>Summertime, and the livin' is easy
To read article click: >>Working In The Field You Love When You Can't Get A Job In Your Field
To read article click: >>Connecting With Others/Connecting With Ourselves
To read article click: >>Thanks and Giving
To read article click: >>How Do I Show Up?
To read article click: >>Who Are Our Teachers?
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