Our Blog is here to help keep you informed about new local projects, concerns, and news events going on in Maine and the country.
CAREGIVING | HUMAN TRAFFICKING | FOOD | SPIRITUAL | BUILDING COMMUNITY
Topic ~ Caregiving
In the Gardens of Memory, in the Palace of Dreams
"In the gardens of memory, in the palace of dreams, it is there we shall meet." (Alice in Wonderland) (Photo credit: Lillian Lake) On the afternoon of my mother's passing, I went by the lake alone to sit and gaze into the soft ripple moving against the shore. Since...
Grampa Stiles and His Stately Grandfather Clock
This year, I aim to be happy and know peace inside and out. For each of us, peace may mean something different. And for sure, we each get there on our terms. Maintaining a peaceful balance amid change, which we are all experiencing, is essential to our well-being. To...
What’s It Like Living with a Chronic Illness?
"Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow." (Mary Anne Radmacher) Pain, fatigue, and feeling alone with your chronic illness can make self-pity and crying an effortless option. From the beginning of my...
Topic ~ Human Trafficking
There Are Times When You Must Speak
In the United States, January is Human Trafficking Awareness month. Sadly, this crime against humanity is why this day exists. But even more sadly, most people are unaware there is even such a thing as human trafficking, to say nothing about a month to acknowledge...
Red Market and Black Gold Market are Other Names for Organ Trafficking
Sex trafficking and labor trafficking are more widely researched and discussed, but another area of trafficking is organ trafficking. I first heard about "organ harvesting" in the early 2000s, but that was long before I heard about human trafficking. Honestly, it is...
Once You Know Something You Can’t Unknow It
Two of my favorite credos are "once you know something, you can't unknow it" and "just because you see can't see something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist." When I do presentations on human trafficking, I find that people hearing about it for the first time try...
Topic ~ Food
The Lesser Known Traditions of Mumming and Cristmas Crackers
A conversation with a shopper in T.J. Maxx inspired this post. The shopper was admiring a festive display of Christmas crackers. Not the kind of crackers you eat. These are the kind that holds a surprise inside and is made from a paper tube and decorative paper....
A Wellness Journey Begins
In the beginning. Eight years ago, following emergency surgery and an extended stay in the hospital, I couldn't eat any food without extreme bloating and pain, requiring a potent pain reliever. I spent months on bone broth and didn't have the energy to walk beyond my...
Summer Sunshine Lemon Cooler Cookies
My “go-to” therapy is playing my piano or baking when I have something challenging to work through. As hot as it was in Iowa when we were there on vacation a few weeks ago, I baked up a storm. Coincidentally, it did storm with all kinds of crazy thunder and lightning....
Topic ~ Spiritual
In the Gardens of Memory, in the Palace of Dreams
"In the gardens of memory, in the palace of dreams, it is there we shall meet." (Alice in Wonderland) (Photo credit: Lillian Lake) On the afternoon of my mother's passing, I went by the lake alone to sit and gaze into the soft ripple moving against the shore. Since...
Tikkun Olam: To Heal or Repair the World
Several months ago, I had a dream in which I saw every religion represented by a building, such as you would think of temples and churches. The buildings were set in a large circle, and their doors were wide open, facing each other. The message was: when the doors of...
Normalizing the Conversation Around Mental Health and Suicide
Last year I thought I would generally write about my health crisis more than I did. I've since decided only to share pieces when I think they are most helpful. This week I share a piece of my story related to mental health. Following emergency abdominal surgery and...
Why are We Obsessed with the Passage of Time?
Certain events mark the passage of time, for which there is no need for a timepiece. Marriages, births, and deaths are a few such events. On these occasions and traumatic events, we mark the time by noting precisely what we were doing, where, why, and with whom....
Topic ~ Building Community
In the Gardens of Memory, in the Palace of Dreams
"In the gardens of memory, in the palace of dreams, it is there we shall meet." (Alice in Wonderland) (Photo credit: Lillian Lake) On the afternoon of my mother's passing, I went by the lake alone to sit and gaze into the soft ripple moving against the shore. Since...
Tikkun Olam: To Heal or Repair the World
Several months ago, I had a dream in which I saw every religion represented by a building, such as you would think of temples and churches. The buildings were set in a large circle, and their doors were wide open, facing each other. The message was: when the doors of...
Normalizing the Conversation Around Mental Health and Suicide
Last year I thought I would generally write about my health crisis more than I did. I've since decided only to share pieces when I think they are most helpful. This week I share a piece of my story related to mental health. Following emergency abdominal surgery and...
Why are We Obsessed with the Passage of Time?
Certain events mark the passage of time, for which there is no need for a timepiece. Marriages, births, and deaths are a few such events. On these occasions and traumatic events, we mark the time by noting precisely what we were doing, where, why, and with whom....