Happy birthday, my son.My greeting feels hollow.You’ve faced difficult days –seems more are to follow. Happy birthday, my son,though fires burn around,thick smoke fills your air,and ash coats the ground. Happy birthday, my son.On this day of your birth,are you wishing that leaderswould care for our earth? Happy birthday my son,but please stay inside.Folks won’t… Continue reading Five Minute Friday: Vote

The cairn as a legacy that remains after we have gone. What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments but what is woven into the lives of others. ~ Pericles Today we think of the cairn as a legacy we leave behind. What do you hope to include in your legacy… Continue reading Cairn #9: A Gift of Legacy

The cairn as a creative work of simplicity, balance, and placement. “Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” ~ Thomas Merton “Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious and adding the meaningful.”~John Maeda Creative cairn builders often arrange rocks with an eye for unusual, artistic, and beautiful results. These… Continue reading Cairn #8: A Beautiful Placement

“Disappoint” is an appropriate word for this year,a word I’ve grown weary of considering.I would much rather write of hope, joy, and cheer,of moments and times worth remembering.But life holds much more than wonderful newsor goals achieved or a glorious view,and in the valley of failures and tearsI find I’ve drawn closer to You.  … Continue reading Five Minute Friday: Disappoint

The cairn as a sacred space in which to be thankful. “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie “The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.” – Mary Davis Years ago, our dear cousin and friend Sharon died suddenly in her… Continue reading Cairn #7: An Altar of Gratitude

A loved one had sent me several unfair and hurtful messages of accusation, insult, and blame. For months I felt defensive, sad, and angry. In a desperate moment, I decided to print and place the words into a small wooden box. I set the box on our home altar, put a small candle on top,… Continue reading Five Minute Friday: Hold

(Reader friends, this is a duplicate post of one I tried to publish earlier, but hasn’t yet appeared on my blog site. My apologies if this is a repeat for you!) You cannot look in a new direction by looking harder in the same direction.~ Edward de Bono Today’s cairn is one that would indicate… Continue reading Cairn #6: A Turning Point

days are too busynights are too briefstress overwhelmswe can’t find relief the path is uncertainthe future obscurewe long to keep movingbut feel so unsure a friend needs our comfortwe can’t find the wordsand inside we wonderif words will be heard prayers seem inadequatewe fumble and doubtwhat shall I say, God?one word stumbles out HELP… (Five… Continue reading Five Minute Friday: Help

The cairn as a memorial marker designating our grief and loss. Grief is in two parts. The first is loss. The second is the remaking of life. ~Anne Roiphe On those days when we cannot seem to find happiness, we should substitute hopefulness. ~ Karen, age 22 As we journey together during this tumultuous year,… Continue reading Cairn #5: A Memorial Marker

It was January 2015. I sat at my desk, creating my usual list of ambitious goals and plans for the new year. I was also wondering what word to choose as my guide for the year, a word that would serve as my theme and focus for my days. I glanced up and noticed the… Continue reading Five Minute Friday: Breathe