Sharing insights and inspiration that happen over a cup of tea

Sharing insights and inspiration that happen over a cup of tea

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Category: Remembering

  • The Nativity reminds us that love was born at Christmas

    When my sons were young, I told them the story of Patrick, the penguin, who, even though he was poor, and a penguin, had the very best Christmas presence and he made a point to share it with everyone he knew who needed some Christmas cheer. My sons, not being able to read, didn’t understand…

  • St. Paddy’s Day can be everyday with a sainted Irish dad

    Well, I missed my chance for a St. Paddy’s Day blog post in honor of my sainted dad, Eddie Clifford, but the magic of leprechauns that lived in his heart is not a one-day kind of magic, so today’s the day. I never met my grandfather, my father’s father. He hailed from County Cork, Ireland,…

  • Entering the fall season with reflection, gratitude and a quiet spirit

    It’s funny how often we come across insights that resonate profoundly with our circumstances at different times in our lives. Today, I found one in my in-box, in the form of a newsletter, “Living in Season,” by Waverly Fitzgerald: “I feel that urge that so many of us feel in September to begin a new…

  • When hate becomes a catalyst — disengage

    Hate is an ugly word, an ugly emotion and an ugly ideology.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            It is the antithesis of natural law, the Ten Commandments and every teaching of Jesus Christ. It is responsible for murder and mayhem and the unspeakable torture and decimation of whole races. It is something I have rarely, if ever, written…

  • Sorrow lifts when we surrender our memories to God

    Recently, during an extended time at home recuperating from a medical procedure, I whiled away a Sunday afternoon watching a marathon of Mario Lanza movies. I grew up with Mario Lanza, the renowned American actor, tenor and opera singer who was known as one of the great romantic performers of his time, because my mother,…

  • ‘A perfect dose of grace’ for all seasons

     This small but powerful book of stories is the perfect read for you when you want to reward yourself with some well-deserved quiet time! Rabbi Irwin Kula, author of “Yearnings: Embracing the Sacred Messiness of Life” wrote, “If you want to find God, know love, and truly understand these are the same, read this beautiful book. But be prepared…

  • Sometimes remembering is as simple as leaving a stone

    My mother-in-law was a feisty woman, who was always up for a rousing debate, especially about her faith. Still, given that she was a cradle Catholic who spent several years in a convent boarding school as a child, her decision to join the Jewish Community Center in her 70s, after her husband died, was a…

  • Our woundedness makes us a gift to others

    Each spring my backyard becomes home to a host of critters who are a continual source of delight to ,  me. For the past two years my favorite has been the hyperactive squirrel who seemed to rejoice, in his own squirrel way, in being alive. He had a penchant for sliding across canvas awnings, swinging…