My Watch Loves Me

I was in Grand Rapids to visit Steelcase and decided to walk to breakfast at a place called Little Bird. I had eaten there a few years ago and was excited to experience their creative breakfast menu again. In the same area, one can also find the Grand Rapids Art Museum and a store named Kilwins, where you can purchase handmade…

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Tiny Perfect Things

“Most of life is just junk. It’s filler, and then there’s these moments when all the randomness turns into something perfect. It’s like life’s dropping all the bullshit just for a second to show us how amazing it could be all the time, if it wanted to.” Mark (The Map of Tiny Perfect Things) In The…

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No Temple Made With Hands

Last week, among the granite walls and centuries-old trees of the Yosemite Valley, I found myself thinking about connections. Seeing trees that are older than our civilization and a sky full of stars that are quadrillions of miles away, I felt small and insignificant. We worry about trivial things every day. Buildings, organizations, plans, accomplishments.…

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The Right Question

I am writing from the west coast today. My surroundings and my companions create a sense of serenity that is refreshing and rejuvenating. Only a few days ago, I was listening to the story of a woman who spent much of her life in danger and in pain. I am acutely conscious of how blessed I…

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Honest Hearts, Honest Actions

When I walk in the morning, I pass a house where a cat lives. Most mornings, the cat comes out to greet me. It rubs up against my leg and seems to be glad I am there, but this is not the most likely explanation. Cats love to rub up against people and things. This…

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Show Don’t Tell

I visited a very dear person in my life this weekend. While travelling, I was struck by how often we are told to do (or not do) something but are rarely shown. Often the very people who tell us what to do, fail to follow the instructions they are giving everyone else. Telling people what…

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Catching Up

I used to be a runner. I used to be fast. I need you to trust me on this. Several of us would run around a local lake and often would have newer runners join us. They were usually slower. So, we would slow down and stay with them until we reached this one spot…

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Antisocial Media

I recently made the mistake of commenting on a post on social media. Two words in that sentence are critical. A “mistake” is an action or judgment that is misguided or wrong. Something is “social” when it relates to society or its organization. I have decided that engaging someone online that you disagree with is…

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Body Of Memories

“Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.” – Lionel Hampton What we remember (or don’t) about our past can define our future. Today, our nation observes Memorial Day to collectively remember and honor those who perished serving their country. As the families of those men and women know…

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Pebbles In Our Shoes

I used to run. A lot. At one point my running partners and I were doing 200-mile relays with four people and competing in 100-mile individual races. I learned something very important during this time of my life. It’s the little things that matter. Often it isn’t the mountains ahead that wear you out, it’s…

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