“Taking Heart” in Responses to Deciding on Trails
The final section of Deciding on Trails is titled, “Taking Heart in Trails.” A little over a month since publishing, I can say that I have taken heart in the positive response to the book.
Community Pain Points in the time of COVID
Big blue dots are carefully placed six feet apart on the floor of my neighborhood cafe, Big Dog Coffee. As I stood on a dot waiting for my order, I said to the owner, Nikolay, that I look forward to … Continued
Getting Outside in a Time of Social Distancing
Life has changed pretty significantly over the last couple of weeks. I sense that we’re all doing the best we can to get by despite the very real hardships that so many of us face. One of the things that’s … Continued
Are we Hungry for Thriving Communities?
In her memoir, Hunger, Roxane Gay writes of romantic relationships, “…it’s a shame that the measure is what is not so bad instead of what is thriving and good.” That insight caught my attention because it’s true for so many … Continued
Outdoor Adventures with Your Nervous Dog
Time in the car has a way of connecting us back to our grief. While traveling in Wisconsin recently, I was reminded that I really miss my dog. By this trip, it had been about nine weeks since he died. … Continued
Rolling Into Summer Retreat
This very moment is everything I noticed yesterday that I had “Rolling Into Summer?” (with a question mark at the end) on my calendar for June 1-2. That’s because when I first penciled it in, I wasn’t sure that I … Continued
Cycling Through the Seasons
From maple festivals and everything pumpkin spice to Solstice celebrations and Seasonal Affective Disorder, our lives are very much influenced by the four seasons. Our moods can be impacted by shorter days or, say, by the rainiest year on record (hello, … Continued
Why we don’t have to be good
New Year’s reflections on gentleness and resolutions It’s 3 p.m. on New Year’s Day and I’m seated at my desk to repeat my semi-annual ritual of taking stock. Resolutions get a bad rap and I get why. I heard yesterday … Continued
10 Months Living in Pittsburgh’s South Side
Ten months ago, three days before Christmas, my wife and I moved into our new (old) home in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood. Throughout our first year here, I’ve often thought about writing about our experience as new residents. Honestly, though, … Continued
In Gratitude of Investment
A friend invested in me in a big way last week. Pam purchased five tickets to the Gremlins in the Woods* workshop that I’m hosting next month. Not only did she invest in herself in registering, but she also invested … Continued