Author Archives: watchwordsblog

It’s one thing to show your love for someone when everything is going fine and life is smooth. But when the “in sickness and in health” part kicks in and sickness does enter your lives, you’re tested. Your resilience is tested. Patti Davis Meditation: Living with a partner who you love “until death do youContinue reading “Resilience being tested…”

Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves. Carl Jung Meditation: Isn’t it amazing? When something irritates me in my spouse or my co-workers, a good chance is that this says more about me than about them. Sometimes I am becoming irritated or judgmental because the other person isContinue reading “Irritation leads to Self-understanding…”

Sometimes the most beautiful thing is precisely the one that comes unexpectedly and unearned, hence something given truly as a present. Anna Freud Meditation: The most beautiful things in life are those undeserved and unexpected experiences: Grace as moments when gentle kindness or love suddenly surround us, or hospitality and shelter offered without having to payContinue reading “Grace- The Most Beautiful Thing…”

Freud suggested that people become depressed because the anger they feel for others, who have hurt or let them down, is turned inwards. Meditation: The Christian tradition often labels anger as “sin” and persons who are angry as “sinners”. Yes, it is true that unleashed anger can cause damage and can be wounding. Yes, weContinue reading “Depression as “Anger turned inward”…”

If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health. Hippocrates Meditation: Yesterday in church we heard about Jesus being the “Bread of Life”. During the sermon we shared a loaf of bread with each otherContinue reading “God is Nourishment…”

Comedy can be a cathartic way to deal with personal trauma. Robin Williams Meditation: Mental Illness is still something our society does have difficulty talking about. Many have to hide their depression or other mental health diagnosis and pretend all is well. One way of coping is through humor and through acting or playing “theContinue reading “Mental Illness…”

I am simple, complex, generous, selfish, unattractive, beautiful, lazy, and driven. Barbra Streisand Meditation: I have discovered the mystery that when we make peace with our weaknesses, we actually become strong. As long as we base our self-esteem on our strengths and accomplishments only, we are paradoxically weak, as we often deny and suppress thoseContinue reading “The Mystery and Paradox of Faith…”

I think risk-taking is a great adventure. And life should be full of adventures. Herbie Hancock Meditation: My twin daughters each choose what they want to do for their birthday. That is why we always have two birthday events each year, celebrated on different days. One is going for a sleepover this year, on theContinue reading “Risk-Taking…”

Being transgender, like being gay, tall, short, white, black, male, or female, is another part of the human condition that makes each individual unique, and something over which we have no control. We are who we are in the deepest recesses of our minds, hearts and identities. Linda Thompson Meditation: Our current President feels threatenedContinue reading “Transgender…”

Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength. Betty Friedan Meditation: There are two main myths in our society: One is that aging is a curse or an illness that needs to be prevented or cured at any cost. The other is that aging brings inevitable losses that we needContinue reading “Aging…”