1. The Olympics is not really about the opening and closing ceremonies, except when the Queen jumps out of a helicopter. 2. People who get paid to participate in sports may play better than people who do not, but they are not nearly as much fun to watch. 3. If you want the potential to win a lot of medals, be a swimmer. If you want the potential to participate in a lot of Olympics, be an equestrian. 4. Apparently,... Read more
I am coming to value the power of hidden depths. I am learning that the people and places which do not promote themselves, which are more hidden, are often worth the time and patience it takes to explore them. Listening, waiting, and being open can be more helpful that I ever imagined. It is important for us to remember to take time, to remember that it is not always best for life to be immediate. As we learn to let... Read more
Each day is different, filled with wonders of its own. I experience some days as nearly impossible. Things happen that make me wonder whether I can handle what comes my way, whether it is worthwhile to keep trying. People come into my life who drain me of my love and energy. I seem to be surrounded by conflict and strife. It is important to remember that it is not the day, nor the things that are happening, nor the people... Read more
I walk as much as I can; sometimes with other people and sometimes on my own. Walking is important to me. I find it very challenging to sit in a meeting for more than an hour or so, but I can walk for quite a while. I do my best listening and reflecting while I am walking. Walking is usually enough movement to help me, and anyone walking with me, relax; it is not so much activity that it distracts us.... Read more
Leadership is contagious. We do not become leaders by reading about leadership. We do not become leaders by thinking about it. We catch leadership from other people. The seeds of our own understanding of leadership are planted in us by people sharing leadership with us. The ways we recognize and appreciate leadership grow in us, shaped by the leaders we meet. I adapt the leadership they share to create my own strain, and then spread it to others. Leadership is caught,... Read more
I belong to a liturgical church. We spend almost all our time together doing two things. We remind each other of the story that brings us together, and we share a meal. On Sundays we read part of our shared story. Someone talks about how we can draw the story so far into the present, how we can make the next part of the story fit with what has already happened. We are reminded that, though our lives seem so... Read more
Happy India Pale Ale Day! Pale ale, common in England from the middle of the seventeenth century onward, was originally ale that was brewed from pale malt and lightly hopped. Over time, pale ale came to be made mostly with coke-smelted malt which produced less smoking and roasting of barley in the malting process, and produced a paler ale. The British East India Company was formed in 1600 to allow Great Britain to master lucrative international trade, first in spices... Read more
We are explorers. Our earliest experiences as young children are exploring what is around us, learning how the world works. We are fearless, and eager to learn by trying. Explorers set out on a journey without having been there before, without really knowing what challenges they will face. They prepare, they learn as much as they can about the conditions along the way, but there is nothing quite like going yourself. As we get older, we grow comfortable. We attach... Read more
Leadership is not about becoming someone else; leadership is sharing who you are. People tend to think that becoming a leader is being more like leaders who have gone before us. They try to emulate or even copy the actions of leaders they admire. Students of history draw parallels to situations faced by past leaders. Spiritual seekers look for lessons from the lives of leaders such as the Buddha, Mohammed, Moses, or Jesus. We try to follow the examples of... Read more
Every moment is filled with possibilities. In each moment, we have the potential to recognize and appreciate who we really are in new ways. Our deepest selves are eager for us to discover them, despite our complex defenses. Each moment gives us the possibility of awakening to ourselves in new ways, of gaining insight into what our lives can become. We can take a moment to listen to ourselves. There is no limit to how honestly we can connect with... Read more
Strategic Monk
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In