Cheryl Richardson's Blog, page 28

Becoming a good creature

One morning this week I entered the bathroom where our new kittens were sleeping and my heart melted.  Here’s what I found:

Tears filled my eyes as I felt a familiar love I haven’t experienced in a long time. It’s been nearly three years since we shared our home with Poupon, our first rescue, and I was suddenly overwhelmed with gratitude that our journey of loss and grief had led us here.

Already, in a few short weeks, I’ve had to reinstall curtains, clean up tattered fringe from around the fur...

Is it time to say goodbye?

Last week I received an email from a longtime reader who wanted me to know she was unsubscribing because of my newsletter about Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She was polite. She expressed appreciation for all the years of support my words had provided. And she said goodbye without explanation, just that it was time to “part company.”

Now and then I get messages like this when something I write pushes a button. I get it. I have views that aren’t shared by everyone. But what bothers me is how quickly we d...

Becoming notorious

In life, there are some people who, by their presence and character, inspire us to be better human beings. They model what it means to live with integrity, to speak the truth with humility and grace, and to take a stand for others not because it gets them anything, but because it’s simply the right thing to do.

To me, Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) was that person and while she lived a long, full life and deserves to rest in peace, I will miss her powerful example of decency, and the comfort of knowi...

A curator of beauty

I woke at sunrise to find mist floating above the reservoir behind our home. Translucent clouds drifting over steel gray water, slowly vanishing in the rising light.

It’s moments like this that make life bearable these days. Beauty in the middle of madness.

Each day I do my best to find moments of amazement wherever I can. A tiny goldfinch trading seed with a friend at the feeder. A heron floating through the sky, long, graceful wings effortlessly moving air. An autumn leaf aflame in its ending,...

A little laughter and sweetness

I promise not to convert this blog to weekly kitten stories, photos, and videos, but since it’s Labor Day weekend here in the states and I’m enjoying the last bits of summer, I thought I’d share a photo and video of our new furry kids.

The ginger cat is the sweetest little boy we’ve named Berty, and the gray tiger is his sister, Wednesday – a little stinker (in the best possible way). We hit the jackpot with these two. Both cats are bonded to each other, affectionate with us, friendly with stran...

Exciting News!

Today’s a big day for our family. Nearly three years after losing our beloved cat, Poupon, Michael and I have rescued two kittens from our local no-kill shelter, Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society.

I’m excited and a little nervous, but ready to add the joy and love that animals offer back into our lives again.

After numerous conversations (and a little pleading on my part), Michael finally agreed to adopt two cats (bless him!). He needed to be convinced that there was enough love to go around...

A helping hand to calm anxiety and stress

This week I’m taking a vacation from the blog and thought I’d share a Facebook Live event I did in late March to help you deal with the anxiety and stress of a changing world.  During the session I offered:

~*~ A way to instantly calm your body to help reduce stress and anxiety.

~*~ A tapping exercise to help you metabolize the extra cortisol that might be running through your system these days. This exercise can relax your mind and body, eliminate fear, and help you fall asleep (or get back to ...

Stay off the crazy train!

There’s nothing like a mandate to stay in one place to help us see how neurotic the mind can be. These days, as I spend most of my time at home, I’ve made it a practice to carefully watch my thoughts. The goal is to stay in present-moment time as much as possible because it’s truly the best way to enjoy life regardless of what’s happening in the outer world.

The practice can be quite entertaining when you become a witness to the neural networks that get triggered by the simplest things. Here’s a...

The great opening

This afternoon, after doing a bit of work and making pesto from basil in the garden, I was washing up at the kitchen sink when a wave of anxiety hit. I felt myself brace at the familiar, unpleasant feeling. It’s been happening on and off for a while now. Out of nowhere, a low rumbling starts in my stomach and works its way to my chest, capturing my breath in its crafty claws.

As soon as I noticed myself starting to shut it down, I turned off the kitchen faucet and went to the living room to medi...

The new normal

Standing at the kitchen window, I look up to find a coyote peeking out from behind the stone wall that forms a border between the woods and our home. It’s my first time seeing one this summer and, as I watch him scope out the territory looking for a meal, I feel grateful to have caught a glimpse of his beautiful face. It’s one of many animals I’ve seen in the last few months now that we’re staying home and I have the time and space to see what’s in front of me.

Time and space. The biggest lesso...