LifeWays
October 7, 2018 Warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child. – Carl Jung When I think of the gifts that LifeWays North America brings to families and early childhood programs, I believe one of the greatest is Warmth. Not only the attention to the physical …
September 30, 2018 Little squirrel up in the tree, runs along the branch so free Gathering nuts to nibble and crunch, saving them for winter’s lunch! Won’t you stop and play with me? No, no, no, I’m busy you see! This time of year calls us to prepare. Like the approaching cold months urging the squirrel …
September 23, 2018 “Change leads to disappointment if it is not sustained. Transformation is sustained change, and it is achieved through practice.” ~ B.K.S. Iyengar This week begins with the Autumn Equinox and ends with Michaelmas! All around us we see signs of transformation at this time of year. The equinox is the time at …
September 16, 2018 The goldenrod is yellow, The corn is turning brown, The trees in apple orchards With fruit are bending down – Helen Hunt Jackson As summer turns to autumn, the fall fruits are ready to be picked. Apples, pears peaches and plums fill our bushel baskets and our bellies. My mother-in-law and I …
September 9, 2018 With every deed you are sewing a seed, though the harvest you may not see. – Ella Wheeler Wilcox Although it’s still pretty hot and steamy in my neck of the woods, I sense the coming of fall. This transition into Autumn, when the light is starting to diminish, calls us to …
September 2, 2018 The firewood you chop warms you twice. – Old English Proverb One of my favorite stories to share with young children is the Little Red Hen. The simple, sweet repetition draws them into the story as the process of transforming wheat to bread takes place, and they love the poetic justice of …
August 26, 2018 The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new. -Socrates This back-to-school time brings us face to face with change. Parents line up their children for the ceremonial back to school photo and marvel at how much they’ve grown …
August 19, 2018 Truth is a fruit that can only be picked when it is very ripe. –Voltaire When a tomato is juicy and ripe, it’s time to pick it. Timing is everything, which is why the tomatoes we purchase in the grocery store, picked before they are fully ripened, are never as …
August 12, 2018 I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars. — Augustine “Og” Mandino Last night and tonight are the best nights of the year to witness the Perseid meteor showers. Mary Stewart Adams, star lore historian, says, “It was …
August 5, 2018 This is the power of gathering. It inspires us, delightfully, to be more hopeful, more joyful, more thoughtful; in a word, more alive. -Alice Waters This is a time of year for gathering. In my region of the country, …