By Maryanne DeLeo It’s been in my life eight years, its color long ago used up, hints of it along the walls of its gold, shiny black expensive case. Every day I dip my slender lip brush inside to get a speck of color onto my unpainted lips. Selected by a painter, “which lipstick would … Continue reading Barcelona Red
The Waves
By Jill Jepson Sunday mornings without fail, my parents packed us into the car and drove us to mass. Sacred Heart Church was just three blocks from our house, but still we drove, to make sure we arrived fresh and perfect, we girls in our prettiest dresses, little hats, short white gloves, and Sunday shoes—white … Continue reading The Waves
Facing Death: Fear and Gifts
By C. Graham Campbell, Ph.D As a Buddhist leaning spiritual student, I wish I could tell you that looking death in the eye was a choice motivated solely because that is an important part of the path. Unfortunately, that would be less than honest. An onslaught of health issues between 2015 and 2023 required it. … Continue reading Facing Death: Fear and Gifts
The Blue-Schist Sentinels
By Celeste Wolfe Night after night, a quartet of prehistoric megaliths stand as blue-schist sentinels, on guard since the ancient era of dinosaurs into the digital era of modernity. The foursome’s enduring foundations with their unyielding weight, cutting deep into the earth, arise as if shrapnel protruding from a wound. Their stone polished faces like … Continue reading The Blue-Schist Sentinels
My Sand Mandala
By Ryan Larson Buddhist monks have a unique ritual of creating, I think, the most vibrant and visually stunning work of art ever. They place sand of many colors on a table together in a design that looks like what you would see on a Persian rug. The accuracy can be measured by millimeters, and … Continue reading My Sand Mandala
Retail Therapist
By Kit Stookey I stood facing my bathroom mirror, putting on my face for work. I blended my foundation into my neckline, my blush into my foundation, my emotions into dust. My manicured eyebrows were bold enough to keep with the trends, but not so bold to look “mannish.” My mom marveled at how closely … Continue reading Retail Therapist
The Unjoy of Cooking
By Ashton Cynthia Clarke I don’t remember why Daddy suddenly told me to fix dinner. Making our beds and polishing the wood veneer furniture with Pledge were the only household chores assigned to me and my little brother. Preparing food was strictly Mommy’s job. But where she was, I don’t remember. There was a period … Continue reading The Unjoy of Cooking
The Faraway Hill
By Betsy Selvam Wildflowers and weeds grow in abundance here. They are brightly redolent of evenings that I spent roaming outside home barefoot, content by myself, plucking leaves and flower buds; bunching them into finger-sized bouquets. Lantana shrubs pepper the landscape around me. Their tiny clusters of pink and orange flowers add an undertone of … Continue reading The Faraway Hill
All the World’s a Stage or a Film Set?
By Kat Merrigan This is the true and somewhat unbelievable story of how I went from behind the scenes to a leading role in an upcoming, independent, feature film. I’ve always had a passion for movies and theater. If I had to choose one over the other, I’d pick theater. I’ve been in local productions … Continue reading All the World’s a Stage or a Film Set?
The Most Memorable Day of My Life
By Bill Eckel A-a-a-a-a-a-a-ah. The sirens wailed. No longer a watch or a forecast. The tornado was on the ground. It was ten minutes to six, April tenth, nineteen seventy-nine and I was about to experience the most memorable day of my life. At the time, I had lived in Wichita Falls, Texas, for thirteen … Continue reading The Most Memorable Day of My Life
Academy of the Heart And Mind 