It’s always amazed me that my parents moved their young family to the Philippines in 1970. They had kids that were 6 years-old, 4 years-old and I was 6 months-old and they moved to SE Asia in the middle of the Vietnam War. But they described the US at that time as feeling as if … More The Courage to Not Be Divisive
Hello, October! This month at Heart of the Matter we’re focusing on courage, or as my sometimes-countrified father might’ve said, “gumption”. I loved how my papa could pivot from a corporate, buttoned-up dude to his downhome, rural roots. One of his charms, I think. He had a knack for putting people at ease and it … More The Courage Bucket
When I was very young, I would crawl into my mother’s lap wearing my onesie pajamas and beg for a glass of milk and for her to read to me. I had a series of favorite books, everything from The Poky Little Puppy; Clifford, the Big Red Dog; The Little Engine That Could; Corduroy; The Berenstain Bears; to Katy and … More How a curious little monkey changed the world
The other night after dinner, my four-year-old son, Mr D, wanted to set up a lemonade stand. It was on a weeknight after a full day for both my kids and for me and as I sat there listening to his request, I felt the solidness of the seat underneath me. I also had a … More Department of Low Energy
I carried unnecessary heartache, and I’ll admit, a few grudges for years. Once upon a time, as an ultra-ambitious young professional, I got caught in a snare. Thinking I was being groomed and trained as an apprentice and “next in line” for a plum position, I fell headlong into an attitude of servitude. Jumping at … More I’ve Let You Go
About ten years ago, I was distractedly watching the local Seattle ABC news while fixing dinner and they ran a story about an attempted bank robbery. The suspects had gotten away but the police had captured the getaway driver, a 52-year-old woman. I was in my early 40’s at the time and I remember thinking, … More When Will They Learn?
I don’t know what it is about late summer blooms, or the sharpness in the sky – the contrast of light and dark. It captivates my attention, especially this time of year when I know the phrase “burning daylight” is more applicable than ever. I’ve noticed this over the past three years. As much as … More Love, Nature, Family
I looked at the list again. On the plus side, I saw the names of a few friends who were going to be in my fifth-grade class with me. I was happy about that, but the negative side of the scale stood out in big bold face letters to me, and it spelled out the … More Tough as nails
It seems like these days pass so quickly that we often finding ourselves reading, appreciating the gift of a post, and then moving on too quickly. To extend some of the great notes of the week, we have Well Said Saturdays – bringing a few quotes from recent posts forward. From Love, Curiosity, & Learning … More Well Said Saturdays – September 9
Hello there, September! This month here at Heart of the Matter we’re focusing on curiosity and learning. I love the concept of lifelong learning and acquiring new skills by being open and curious about the world. Try as I might, in most instances of “new learning” I’m also laughing at my own misadventures. I have … More Love, Curiosity & Learning
The Heart of the Matter 