In February of 2018, a woman named Isabella de la Houssaye was diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer. Later that fall, she competed in – and completed – the Ironman competition in Kona. The Ironman, if you’re not familiar with it, is like a triathlon on steroids: a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a … read
This morning, I’m going to start with an assumption, that most everyone here knows the story of Little Red Riding Hood, who travels through the forest to bring a basket of goodies to her grandmother, only to be waylaid by the Big Bad Wolf. The wolf eats the grandmother and Red Riding Hood, but the … read
Mary Oliver will get us started this morning in her poem, “When Did It Happen?” When did it happen? “It was a long time ago.” Where did it happen? “It was far away.” No, tell. Where did it happen? “In my heart.” What is your heart doing right now? “Remembering.Remembering!” (From Felicity, Penguin Books, 2015) All … read
In August of the year 1619, a Portuguese ship carrying twenty people kidnapped from the west coast of Africa landed on shore near Point Comfort in the British colony of Virginia. Those twenty people were sold to the colonists, and so began the horrific history of slavery on this land that would become the United … read
Earlier this summer, we were enjoying some time with our neighbors. We live on a corner, and the other folks who live at our intersection love the opportunity in the summer to get out and just visit with one another. An impromptu happy hour sprung up, and we were catching up. While this was going, … read
In preparing for the Women’s Retreat this fall, I’ve been doing some pretty interesting reading and have been thinking about the things that shape us. Growing up, our next-door neighbor had this thing in her kitchen that you stood on and as you twisted, it swiveled, all in pursuit of a tiny waist. Do you … read