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“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” — Psalm 90:12 imposition of ashes during first day of Lent Today is the beginning of the Lenten season. Across the world, foreheads will be marked with ash and the ancient words will be spoken: Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.  It is not exactly a Hallmark sentiment. I used to hate it.  What a downer.  I see it differently these days. Lent (and other related rituals) may invite us to

“Your breathing is your greatest friend. Return to it in all your troubles and you will find comfort and guidance.” — Anthony de Mello. Indian Jesuit Priest, psychotherapist A friend and mentor, Dr. Frank Rogers, Jr. once told a story that is both sobering and, if we are honest, a little funny (It’s in his book, Practicing Compassion; I have his permission to share it with you . ). After 9/11, during the invasion of Iraq, a small Quaker group organized a silent peace vigil at

"I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples." — Mother Teresa For years, my husband John began his days with a simple purpose: “To improve the quality of life of each person I have the opportunity to touch.” As I have mentioned previously. As a dentist, that meant much more than fixing teeth. It meant smiling at patients, listening to their worries, encouraging their courage, and creating a calm place where fear could disso

“To have purpose is to make a contribution — to be part of something bigger than yourself.” — Roy Baumeister I’ve been watching my husband, John, go through something that I think many people experience quietly but rarely talk about: the sudden disappearance of purpose after retirement. When John was practicing dentistry, he was utterly clear on his mission: to improve the quality of life of each person he had the opportunity to touch.  Dentistry was simply the doorway. What

"You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry. Don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way." Walter Hagen, golfer...