I often take a stroll after dinner. In summer the shadows are long and people smile as they walk their dogs or chat together at the end of their day. Last night I met a gentle man who was playing with a puppy in his front yard. He sat in the grass and this little ball of white fluff frolicked around and all over him. I couldn't help but laugh and he smiled widely and greeted me warmly. He invited me over. His puppy barked, then sniffed at the back of my extended hand and we became friends.

All of the details are not necessary yet a few will reveal why this is on my mind as a blessing this morning. He and I were born within a year of each other. We are both grandparents now. We love our families, where we live and our country. He grew up poor and in a rough neighborhood in the city. He had to fight to survive and promised himself that would be the end of fighting. Yet, when his country called, he joined the Navy and served during the Viet Nam War - not because he...

A number of years ago a dear friend took me on a four-hour hike. We peaked at 5700 feet and it was profoundly wonderful. I had never done a hike like that before and my friend proved to be a compassionate and knowledgeable coach. The sky was close, the mountains had their snow caps on and the sun on the pine needles looked like diamonds.

I am a mountain girl. Like those who long for the sea, I long to look at and visit mountains. I am restored and renewed in their presence. That day I felt the earth breathing and the rocks aware of my presence. There was a tall pine tree partially hollowed out by a fire that had occurred a few years before. The tree survived and had continued to grow. It reminded me of the redwoods of northern California. I walked quietly to the tree and gently touched the scorched bark and the exposed inner wood, tracing the lines of its rings. Then I stepped inside and closed my eyes, resting my forehead against the inside of a living tree! I prefer not...