Plans

Do you ever make plans,
look forward to something —
perhaps a mini vacation or retreat or event —
but then something completely out of your control thwarts those plans?
I believe this happens to almost everyone.
The disappointment felt is a given.
However, the more I wallow
the more it feels unfair
and the downward spiral continues.
But if I give my sadness a limit
and accept reality with an “oh, well,”
I can move on to glean nuggets of insight from my current situation.
Perhaps I will learn something new that I wouldn’t have otherwise. Perhaps…

Photos © Sondra Sula.

Take a walk with me by reading my daily devotional book, Meditations on Mendocino by Sondra Sula. Available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle versions.

If you’d prefer a daily river walk, Reflections on the Fox River and Beyond by Sondra Sula, might just be the book for you.

Fantastical Feast

Holidays are times when loved ones gather around all kinds of tables eating all manner of foods — traditional, experimental, nostalgic, symbolic.
But there’s something a bit suspicious about this feast.
The eggs look a little too shiny,
the Swiss cheese and ham a bit stiff,
and why isn’t the butter melting?
It could be because I’m at the Larry Spring Museum of Common Sense Physics in Fort Bragg, California, where “breaking bread” is done with a masonry saw 
and eating after-dinner pie will require an emergency dental visit. 
That’s because all the food is made of stone. So count your blessings when you sit down to your fantastical feast this year. At least it’s edible!

Photos © Sondra Sula.

Take a walk with me by reading my daily devotional book, Meditations on Mendocino by Sondra Sula. Available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle versions.

If you’d prefer a daily river walk, Reflections on the Fox River and Beyond by Sondra Sula, might just be the book for you.

Pondering Plants

Plants comfort me.
I’m unsure why they make me feel comforted.
Perhaps a sunny disposition,
a sense of humor,
or an inherited shyness.
Of course, I’m anthropomorphizing these “bringers of consolation.”
But as a human, I’m practically programmed to do so,
because it makes me feel connected.
I can even become “one” with an edible plant
by ingesting it,
bringing a new meaning to “comfort food.”
Maybe plants bring solace because they radiate life
even in death.

Photos © Sondra Sula.

Take a walk with me by reading my daily devotional book, Meditations on Mendocino by Sondra Sula. Available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle versions.

If you’d prefer a daily river walk, Reflections on the Fox River and Beyond by Sondra Sula, might just be the book for you.

Thanks Giving Throughout the Year

January: I’m grateful for the promise of a fresh, new beginning.
February: That I can still clown around after failing to complete a single New Year’s resolution.
March: I’m thankful my husband makes me a loving breakfast every morning.
April: I’m grateful for the aesthetics and deliciousness of food, plus for pretty plates on which to serve it!
May: I’m immensely grateful for retreat centers like Redwoods Monastery where I can bathe in silence.
June: For friends with chickens.
July: I’m grateful for the feeling of awe when standing over a dam, and for the water it channels.
August: For family, near and far.
September: For balance.
October: I’m grateful for trips to miraculous places.
November: For our dog, Remy, and due to our climate, year ‘round walking.
December: I’m grateful for the kindness people show one another during the holiday season — may it continue throughout the year.

Photos © Sondra Sula; photo of Sondra © Rob Sula.

Take a walk with me by reading my daily devotional book, Meditations on Mendocino by Sondra Sula. Available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle versions.

If you’d prefer a daily river walk, Reflections on the Fox River and Beyond by Sondra Sula, might just be the book for you.

Listening for Divine Wisdom

What do a sink, a buoy and a caterpillar have in common? Good question. Perhaps we’ll discover more as we listen.

Bathroom sink: I provide water with the touch of a handle. The Water of Life is just as easy to access, simply turn your attention to The Divine.
Buoy with napping seals: Come to me and I will give you rest if you feel worn out by swimming in choppy seas.
Tiger moth caterpillar: I move steadily until I find my next source of food, for I am determined to transform.
Wood grain eye: The eye of God sees all and loves all.
Lemons: Isn’t it obvious? Make the most of what you’re given.
Squid whisk and Starfish tile: Don’t be afraid to feel out of place; you have a divine purpose.
Carved fish: When you feel stuck in one place, move the mountains around you.
Conifer buds: Shed the skin of who you were to become the person you now are.
Remy the dog: When you’re frantic — try to relax — things will more easily shift into place.
Wood grain eel: Live long and travel, but always return to The Source.
Clouds and Ocean: We work together in an endless cycle, for we are truly one.

Photos © Sondra Sula.

Take a walk with me by reading my daily devotional book, Meditations on Mendocino by Sondra Sula. Available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle versions.

If you’d prefer a daily river walk, Reflections on the Fox River and Beyond by Sondra Sula, might just be the book for you.

Foot Rest Wisdom

I’m on “foot rest.” Podiatrist’s orders. So I’m walking with my fingers instead—strolling through recent odds-and-ends-photos. What do the pictures have to say? This moody landscape says: even when you are “on top of the world,” clouds may still form. Incorporate those clouds into your enjoyment of the view.

Survey marker: Look up. Look down. Look around. You’re always somewhere. Perhaps where you should be.

Pretzel and gourd: some individuals will go to unusual lengths to stay connected. Are you one of them?

Chinese temple: You don’t need to occupy a lot of space to be a meaningful contribution to the world.

A dog and my mother’s cat, Giuseppe: Feel the texture of who we are. As you let your love flow into us, it flows out to the world.

Crab claw: Grasping will only get you so much; letting go brings lasting peace.

Chard and cypress: Grow into what you are destined to be. You know deep inside that the design was always there.

Wood: Respect the rings. Every year you live makes you more complete.

Dogwood: Celebrate every season, for there is delight in each stage of life.

Photos © Sondra Sula.

If you like these blogs, you’ll most likely enjoy my latest daily devotional book, Meditations on Mendocino by Sondra Sula. Available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle versions.

If you haven’t read Reflections on the Fox River and Beyond by Sondra Sula, another daily devotional, you may like that, as well.