Patricia Harrelson

Last Sunday, Clare and I went to Mass at St. Josephs in Mariposa. During the homily, the priest talked about Blue Monday, a late January phenomena of depression related to the middle of winter, cold, dark days, lots of sickness, … Continue reading

I’m joining my daughter, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter in listing the gifts –the multitude of blessings–that are a part of my life on a daily basis. The value of thanksgiving–of expressing gratitude–is the rapidity with which hit erases poverty mind. In … Continue reading

This is a post that I’ve been writing in my head for a couple of weeks . . . and it’s a follow-up on my three pronged “Lenten” self-improvement experience. Remember I did the Maker’s Diet (fasting), a prayer study, … Continue reading

I started six weeks of prayer study two weeks ago in conjunction with the Maker’s diet and the beginning of Lent. The book that I’m using explores four kinds of prayer: 1. Conversational prayers of asking and authenticity;2. Uplifting affirmative … Continue reading

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten Season. Lent and Advent are the two parts of the Catholic liturgical year that I appreciated and continued to acknowledge long after I was no longer a practicing Catholic. I think … Continue reading

In February 2007, my dear friend Wendy A. was diagnosed with kidney failure. At the time of her diagnosis, doctors declared that she was already at end-stage failure and eligible for dialysis. Wendy A. met this diagnosis head-on. Terribly weakened … Continue reading

At Gianna’s First Communion on Sunday, Father Fitzgerald spoke about the relationship between the words community and communion just as I was thinking about the commonalities between Catholicism (the religion of my childhood) and Buddhism (the religion I practice as … Continue reading

I’m reading The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice for reasons that are interesting but not particularly related to this post. Early in the book, Lestat is consumed by something his friend Nicolas names the “malady of mortality,” a deep shuddering … Continue reading

From the inside out, I offer gratitude to: My body for the ultimate in service and to my spiritual and physical care-takers, Nancy, Cherie, Christian, & Jay. Cindy, partner extraordinaire, whose loving kindness is sheer joy every single day, whose … Continue reading

I’ve been a student of Buddhism for 20 years and yesterday I took a giant leap (for me) by participating in a formal ceremony in which I vowed to live my life by Buddhist principles. I’ve always been a sucker … Continue reading