"All will be well, and all will be well, in all manner of things all will be well."
Julian of Norwich (17th century English nun)
Dear friend Chris Pelley shared this wonderful prayer and affirmation with me at a time when I needed to hear it.
So I share it with you for whenever you might find it useful.
Do you have a favorite quote, aphorism or affirmation you’d like to share? Please do so by clicking on "post comments" below.
With love and respect,
Robert
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Sorrow and Delight
“When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.”
Khalil Gibran
Almost everyone’s favorite poet – OK, Rumi might be a candidate for that – Gibran shares a powerful truth here.
I’ve had two close friends suffer much sorrow in their lives recently--one with the death of a deeply loved wife and one with the death of a daughter-in-law. I recognize that it is so much easier to advise someone else about how to handle grief than it is to work through it myself. As I thought about and prayed for them over the recent holidays, this quote was helpful in my process.
I believe their sorrow was truly sourced in the delight with which they celebrated their relationships while on this physical plane. And isn’t that a great way to remember relationships that have changed their form through death or separation or distance?
Your thoughts, as always, are welcome -- just click on "comments" below.
With love and respect,
Robert
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
What Do You Live For?
“If you want to identify me, ask me not where I live, or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I am living for, in detail, and ask me what I think is keeping me from living fully for the thing I want to live for.”
Thomas Merton
I keep a framed copy of an essay by Oriah Mountain Dreamer in my office. It begins with some similar words and both authors express something about our longing for a more meaningful life experience.
This is a quote I recommend reading more than once. Or post it a place where you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on it daily.
What do you live for? What stops you? Share with all of us by clicking on "comments" below.
With love and respect,
Robert
Thomas Merton
I keep a framed copy of an essay by Oriah Mountain Dreamer in my office. It begins with some similar words and both authors express something about our longing for a more meaningful life experience.
This is a quote I recommend reading more than once. Or post it a place where you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on it daily.
What do you live for? What stops you? Share with all of us by clicking on "comments" below.
With love and respect,
Robert
Thursday, March 11, 2010
An Extraordinary Day with Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Serving on the board of the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation has been a labor of love, frustrating, exciting, rewarding, just plain hard work, expensive (multiple trips from my home in Colorado to New York City), educational ..... so many different adjectives and experiences.
The vision for me is to simultaneously work to foster an environment of peace; to extend the legacy of peace building (ubuntu) modeled by the Archbishop; and to honor the memory of my friend, the late John Denver--who signed a million (?) autographs with just one word: PEACE!
On Tuesday I once again went through "the drill" of a trip to New York. This time was different from the moment I chose to attend because Archbishop Tutu and Mrs. Tutu would be present for our meeting. Packing was different. Choosing small gifts was different--I brought them copies of our books One World, One People and One World One Child. Traveling was different. My anticipation grew and grew with an almost childlike excitement.
Being with the Archbishop was a highlight in my life. He embodies peace and love just "being." From his opening prayer and acknowledgement of our work through some challenging "business" discussions about the future of the Foundation and through to a heartfelt closing of the meeting, I felt so honored to be in his presence and to be working with him in the cause of peace.
I've met three US Presidents, two Kings and an Emperor. While living in Aspen, I met countless actors, entertainers and captains of industry. Yet I've only been with a few people in my life who touched me at the heart level and enveloped me in their loving spirit. Desmond Tutu is one of them and I am so very grateful to those who have supported me in my journey to this cherished moment and memory.
I helped the Archbishop and Mrs. Tutu into their car on busy East 64th St., removed his gift to me from my briefcase (an inscribed and signed Holy Bible), held it to my heart and wept tears of joy while people streamed around me. It was a very special experience and I wanted to share it with you.
Robert
The vision for me is to simultaneously work to foster an environment of peace; to extend the legacy of peace building (ubuntu) modeled by the Archbishop; and to honor the memory of my friend, the late John Denver--who signed a million (?) autographs with just one word: PEACE!
On Tuesday I once again went through "the drill" of a trip to New York. This time was different from the moment I chose to attend because Archbishop Tutu and Mrs. Tutu would be present for our meeting. Packing was different. Choosing small gifts was different--I brought them copies of our books One World, One People and One World One Child. Traveling was different. My anticipation grew and grew with an almost childlike excitement.
Being with the Archbishop was a highlight in my life. He embodies peace and love just "being." From his opening prayer and acknowledgement of our work through some challenging "business" discussions about the future of the Foundation and through to a heartfelt closing of the meeting, I felt so honored to be in his presence and to be working with him in the cause of peace.
I've met three US Presidents, two Kings and an Emperor. While living in Aspen, I met countless actors, entertainers and captains of industry. Yet I've only been with a few people in my life who touched me at the heart level and enveloped me in their loving spirit. Desmond Tutu is one of them and I am so very grateful to those who have supported me in my journey to this cherished moment and memory.
I helped the Archbishop and Mrs. Tutu into their car on busy East 64th St., removed his gift to me from my briefcase (an inscribed and signed Holy Bible), held it to my heart and wept tears of joy while people streamed around me. It was a very special experience and I wanted to share it with you.
Robert
A Selfless Regard for Reality?
“How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg.”
Abraham Lincoln
Perhaps our most admired American President earned the nickname of Honest Abe. In this quote, he speaks quite directly to our ability to tell the truth—even when we would like to retreat into delusion of self or others.
All of the speaking, training and coaching work I’m doing involves three steps:
1. Clearing the past – muting the effects of blame, shame, regret, guilt … all those experiences that act as lead weights around our consciousness
2. Telling the truth about current reality—or what the Buddhists call developing a selfless regard for reality.
3. Choosing our future—independent of our past and even our current reality
That #2 can be more challenging than it first appears and, of course, that’s where my work really begins!
You or I cannot meaningfully progress in life unless we really know where we are right now—strengths, areas of growth, opportunities and much, much more.
Have you got a good story about calling a tail a leg and what was the cost/benefit of holding on to it? Share with us by clicking on "comments" below.
With love and respect,
Robert
________________________________________
Abraham Lincoln
Perhaps our most admired American President earned the nickname of Honest Abe. In this quote, he speaks quite directly to our ability to tell the truth—even when we would like to retreat into delusion of self or others.
All of the speaking, training and coaching work I’m doing involves three steps:
1. Clearing the past – muting the effects of blame, shame, regret, guilt … all those experiences that act as lead weights around our consciousness
2. Telling the truth about current reality—or what the Buddhists call developing a selfless regard for reality.
3. Choosing our future—independent of our past and even our current reality
That #2 can be more challenging than it first appears and, of course, that’s where my work really begins!
You or I cannot meaningfully progress in life unless we really know where we are right now—strengths, areas of growth, opportunities and much, much more.
Have you got a good story about calling a tail a leg and what was the cost/benefit of holding on to it? Share with us by clicking on "comments" below.
With love and respect,
Robert
________________________________________
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
How Do You Define Success?
“When everything in your life centers around that which is most important to you, you’ve reached success”
Misti Burmeister
I believe this quote is from my friend Misti’s book, “From Boomers to Bloggers,” where she delivers some powerful advice for those attempting to maximize effectiveness in work cultures that include different generations.
She presumes here that we’ve identified what is “most important” to us. Knowing what is most important is a good foundation for making better choices and having our lives aligned to our deeper purpose and vision.
How do you define success? Let us know!
With love and respect,
Robert
Misti Burmeister
I believe this quote is from my friend Misti’s book, “From Boomers to Bloggers,” where she delivers some powerful advice for those attempting to maximize effectiveness in work cultures that include different generations.
She presumes here that we’ve identified what is “most important” to us. Knowing what is most important is a good foundation for making better choices and having our lives aligned to our deeper purpose and vision.
How do you define success? Let us know!
With love and respect,
Robert
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