An Inspired Curiosity about Elephants It was my mother who inspired a curiosity about elephants. As a little girl, I marveled at the assorted collection of delicate figurines gently displayed around our house. The larger statuettes spirited long beautiful tusks. The smaller pocket-sized ones playfully boasted their own unique charm and color. According to mom, “Elephants possess wisdom and goodness. If the trunk is facing upward, it is said to bring prosperity and kindness. Moreover, a downward posture points to a long happy life.” Why the ancients believed these towering animals bring good tidings is lost in time. It was not long before I started to collect elephant treasures too. Some are made of wood while others are carved out of marble. Each opens a door to a wonderful memory every time it catches my attention. Over time, I enjoyed learning about the fascinating qualities that set these gentle…
Life can unexpectedly drop a mystery into your day. One such situation took me by surprise on an early summer morning. Sticking to my usual routine, I was gearing up for the work day while sipping an extra hot cup of coffee. Suddenly, I heard a noise coming from outside the house. It was a fast, bumpy sound, like the clangor sneakers make tumbling in the dryer. With a few loud planes also flying overhead, I didn’t give it too much thought. Not long after I returned to my steaming cup, the strange sound returned. It was louder this time. While I am no Sherlock Holmes in the making, I sheepishly went outside to investigate, but found nothing suspicious. All was well. So with greater intention, I made my way back inside to finish breakfast. However, before reaching the kitchen table, I distinctly heard the muffling noise loud and…
Thinking about the summer activities still left to do? Summer-ween will be here in a wink of an eye! It comes when summer peaks its hottest temperature during the latter half of July. Thinking about that first cool breeze arriving on a crisp autumnal morning is refreshing. As August now beckons, it is a good idea to think about the summer activities that are still left to do. Now is the time to inspire well-being and personal fulfillment. Summer Activities Still To-Do Checklist: 1. Sprout New Ways to Grow Yourself. Summer surrounds us with everything green and beautiful. We happily spend time tending the garden, growing vegetables and planting flowers. However, devoting time to grow your capacity to “grow” from within is so important to personal fulfillment. As the world is always changing, seek ways to expand how you think about your life and the relationships that…
Among Christ’s hypostatic properties (divine and human) is the truth of his unchanging nature. The Psalmist proclaims “But You remain the same and your years will never end” (Ps. 102:27). Every word Christ speaks is eternal and his promises are everlasting” (Mt. 24:35). What great comfort we have in knowing that our circumstances will never determine the measure of God’s infinite goodness and mercy. Only God’s love is the measure of our worth (JP11). While the unpredictable world promises constant change, God’s love endures forever. Out of his grace flows into the soul infused virtues (faith, hope and charity) and the moral virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance) as the sanctifying means to participate in his divinity. These seeds of virtue incline the soul towards holiness, perpetually raising the heart to God. As spiritual gifts, they bring forth a profound desire to “be perfect…
According to Simon & Schuster, more than fifty million copies of Rick Warren’s best seller The Purpose Driven Life were sold last year. Warren’s guiding steps to pinpoint what drives happiness and how to live with purpose can certainly help to answer the question “why I am here?” However for the Christian, setting out to discern one’s purpose begins with understanding the “causes” attracting the soul toward “goodness” as a means to God. The journey does not start out with a question – but with an answer. That is, knowing that God is our Ultimate Destination. We then set out to pursue a life that is a reflection of his image – seeking only the good. God knows that we cannot do all that He desires in our own strength. He gives us an interior power “source” enabling our capacity to seek only goodness. St…
