Finding Stillness

September 21, 2025 · Write a comment · Categories: Musings · Tags:

I took this post’s title from an online yoga session by Owen Henn, which is part of the library available through my Hydrow subscription. It is one of my favorites—calming and restorative, with gentle exercises—inviting participants to slow down, be still, and do nothing but breathe.

Photo of a river with still water in sunlight.

(Photo credit: Robert Anders)

To be honest, this isn’t what I had in mind to write over the weekend. I woke up feeling I ought to be more creative and finish another installment of one of the three stories I’ve had in progress on this blog for years. Then I thought about the yoga exercise, reminded myself that I spent plenty of time during the week producing paid work, and decided it would do me some good to slow down the beginning of my day.

So, instead, I got my breakfast and intentionally did nothing productive whatsoever—just sat on the couch doing a Sudoku puzzle for a while, enjoying a small moment of stillness.

Forgive (Nurturing Thursday)

September 18, 2025 · 2 comments · Categories: Musings · Tags:

On Wednesday afternoon in New Zealand, which was late Tuesday evening here in Ohio, the quarantine period for my daughter’s dog was over. She sent photos and videos of their happy reunion, with plenty of excited tail-wagging and jumping for joy. However unpleasant the quarantine might have been for the dog, all was quickly forgiven and left in the past.

If only humans could forgive and forget as easily as our pets, I expect we’d have a much better world.

Word-art with a heart that says "Forgive,"

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”

A Forlorn Little Face

September 14, 2025 · Write a comment · Categories: Musings · Tags:

My daughter arrived safely in Auckland, New Zealand, and has been setting up her apartment. She has a job offer at a hospital but doesn’t yet know her start date because that depends on when the nursing visa paperwork gets finalized. The dog is still at the quarantine facility, which has been sending updates on how she is doing. From the photos of her sad little face, it’s clear that she is desperately looking for her human.

Photo of my daughter's dog, Remi, in quarantine after arriving in New Zealand.

When she gets released from quarantine, she’ll have a comfy bed by a window in the apartment so she can see what’s going on outside, according to my daughter’s latest message, and a soft rug to roll around on. Not much longer to wait now…

Already (Nurturing Thursday)

September 11, 2025 · 2 comments · Categories: Musings · Tags:

My day was somewhat out of the usual routine, with an out-of-town errand in the morning and a short task during my afternoon break. Nothing too unusual about that; but after a hard rowing workout on the river, it had gotten dark by the time we left the boathouse, and I’d had no unscheduled time whatsoever to just chill out and relax during the day.

I reminded myself that there is only the present moment—so, if I want more time to rest, I already have as much of it right now as I’ll ever have.

Word-art that says, "Everything you want, you already are."

(Image credit: John Hain)

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”

It’s Time (Nurturing Thursday)

September 4, 2025 · Write a comment · Categories: Musings · Tags:

The New Zealand flight carrying our daughter and her dog is boarding now. It will arrive on Saturday morning there, which is Friday afternoon here. The time difference will take some getting used to, I’m sure. She has a job interview scheduled for Tuesday, and I expect she’ll do well despite such an exhausting trip.

I’ve been in the same job and house for many years, and I can’t see myself jumping into the unknown like that. Still, there’s a part of me that enjoys setting out on new adventures, like when I travel with my husband to a rowing regatta in a city where I’ve never been. One never knows when a new path might appear.

Word-art that says, "Follow the path your heart longs to take. It's time, it's time, it's time." -Doe Zantamata

Nurturing Thursday was started by Becca Givens and seeks to encourage self-nurturing and to “give the planet a much needed shot of fun, support and positive energy.”

Memento

September 2, 2025 · 2 comments · Categories: Musings · Tags: ,

So far, my daughter’s New Zealand trip is off to a good start. She took a flight from Cincinnati to Los Angeles yesterday, with no problems. The dog had a final vet visit there and has been cleared for international travel. As a parting gift, we now have a refrigerator magnet with a photo taken many years ago.

Photo of dog sitting on concrete, with pool and willow hedge in background.

The photo left me feeling a bit melancholy. The willow hedge in the background got killed by climate change; and as for the dog, although she is healthy and energetic, she is older, and I don’t expect she will ever return to her puppyhood home. Traveling across borders with a pet is a complicated and time-consuming affair. New Zealand requires a quarantine of almost two weeks for an animal brought into the country.

Still, it’s good to have a memento. Those were happy times, and I believe there will be many more to come—even if they are different from what we might once have anticipated.