“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” L.M. Montgomery October has a way of asking us to pay attention. The light changes first. It softens around the edges. The air feels a little cleaner, as if the sky has taken a deep breath. Then the trees begin their quiet show, one branch at a time, until suddenly the world is brushed with gold, rust, crimson, and amber. I absolutely love the fall season. Everything seems to come alive with color, even as it is pr

“If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it.” Michael Jordan I’m not particularly good at climbing, but I am pretty good at not giving up. That perseverance has served me well throughout my lifetime. There’s a saying where I come from in the Appalachian mountains that we would use whenever someone told us we couldn’t do something: “Hide and watch!” Those two little words carry a lot of attitude. They mean, “You may not believe I can do

“He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much.”—Bessie Anderson Stanley I was sharing some stories recently about my sister, Nola, who has just transitioned from her human body. She walked this earth for 92 years, and when I think about her life, these words seem especially fitting. She was a gentle, kind and loving soul. Her family was everything to her, and when it came to her children, she protected them like a mountain lioness. Her faith w

"If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present." — Lao Tzu When you sit and take a gentle breath, closing your eyes for just a moment, drop into your heart and ask yourself a quiet question: Where is my mind right now? Is it wandering back to a yesterday that you’ve polished into a golden dream? Is it pacing the floor of a present moment that feels just a little too heavy

“You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars. In the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.” Max Ehrmann I have stood in awe before some of the greatest sights in the world. I have gazed across the vast grandeur of the Grand Canyon and wondered how anything could be so magnificent. I have walked among the beautiful temples of India and felt the sacred energy of centuries of prayer and devotion. I have stood in the presence of Mount Sh

"You don't always need a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go and see what happens." - Mandy Hale There is a lot to be said for spontaneity. For most of my life, I lived as the true Virgo that I am. I wanted to know where the puzzle pieces belonged before I put them on the table. I wanted things to make sense. I wanted to see the road ahead, understand the destination and preferably have a map showing me exactly how I was going to get there. Maybe that

"Ah, September! You are the doorway to the season that awakens my soul." -Peggy Toney Horton September is here, ushering in my favorite time of year—fall. I told myself that I would not complain that my birthday month was over. August was glorious, filled with excitement, unexpected blessings, love, adventure, and moments that have now become beautiful memories. Instead of being sad that it has ended, I choose to stand in gratitude for everything it brought into my life.

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” Ralph Waldo Emerson Nature never seems to be in a hurry. The sun does not rush to rise. A flower does not struggle to bloom before its time. The trees do not become impatient with winter, wondering when their leaves will return. A seed buried beneath the soil does not panic because it cannot yet see the sunlight. Nature simply trusts the process. Perhaps that is why Emerson’s words speak so deeply to us. Patience is not s

“Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.” Matsuo Basho Today felt surreal in so many ways. There was a tremendous amount of energy moving as we took time to honor our beautiful Earth and intentionally send love deep into her very core. At different moments throughout the day, I found myself simply wanting to stop. To sit. To breathe. To take it all in. And perhaps that was exactly what I was supposed to do. It was my birthday, which made the day even more

“There is no wealth but life.” John Ruskin Life is so interesting with all its twists and turns. Just when we think we understand the road ahead, it curves. Just when we think we know how something is going to unfold, Spirit reminds us that there is a much bigger picture than the one we can see with our human eyes. For almost six years now, my life has been a living lesson in trust. When I left everything behind to begin the Peace On Earth Tour, I did not have a detailed p