The Bully Story (Part 1) – Musings in Missoula
Last night I dreamt of my 7th grade bully again. Jason Canine. Yes, like the dog. Plus, his first name is literally Jason, just like the character in “Friday the 13th”. What are the odds? And that he’s been making quite the nocturnal appearances! Which is hysterical because he’s not been in my life at all. I haven’t literally seen the guy in over 30 years. We can say what
The Joys of Seclusion – Musings in Missoula, MT
In this age of instant connectivity, one connection many of us have lost is the one to our inner stillness. It is out of that inner stillness that what is often called our “still quiet voice” might arise. And as many of us know, listening to that quiet voice often leads to the greatest changes and joys in our life. As a long-time meditator here in Missoula, I have learned
Calm in the Face of Anger – Musings in Missoula
Counselors and therapists in Missoula often hear about anger, and the concept of anger in today's stressful times. Staying calm when we’re angry is never easy! Sometimes we just feel an unstoppable, or impulsive desire to act when these emotions come up. Maybe, from an evolutionary perspective, that was once very good (so we could quickly dodge out of the way of a rattlesnake on the trail and kill it
Advice on Listening and Speaking – Musings in Missoula
There is no doubt that these are stressful times for many of us. A global pandemic, inflation, economic uncertainty, a major war in Europe, attacks on democracy itself here in the United States. Deep breath. In this time, it is especially important to take time to think about our words. Both among friends and in public situations, our words have the power to sow division and to help foster healing.
Wisdom for Lonely Times – Musings from Missoula
As a graduate student from the University of Montana in Missoula, traveling twice to England for degrees, and later as a college professor traveling first to India and then Hong Kong, I have had a lot of experience traveling away from friends and family. Each time I went overseas, I went essentially alone. And while the thrill of a new adventure kept me going for at least a few days
Finding Direction with the 3 P’s: Place, People, and Purpose – Musings from Missoula
When I was in college in Missoula, my favorite philosophy professor, Albert Borgmann, offered this bit of advice for a happy life: find a place that you love, with people you love, doing work that you love. These three factors of happiness can also be simplified as place, people, and purpose. Often when life is going poorly, we can sit down and look at these three for a few moments