Cheryl Richardson's Blog, page 6

In search of holy moments

On Friday afternoon, my father-in-law, Curt Gerrish, peacefully made his way home. It was a beautiful transition filled with love and reverence for a man who was thoughtful and kind, measured yet brave, and relentless in his commitment to building a life and a company that provided for his family and hundreds of employees and their families for over forty years.

When I first met Curt in December 1993, I remember thinking, “This is a good man.” I’ve thought the same thing repeatedly about his son...

When grief and gratitude walk together

I roam the house in the early light, caught between two worlds. I feel the joy of the holiday season and the sorrow of grief and loss. This liminal space is familiar. It’s a place where beauty and pain collide to make meaningful moments that leave us feeling thankful despite the sadness. As I step out onto the back deck into the cold morning air, I remember some of these moments from the last few days.

A majestic bald eagle comes to me in a dream, perched at the top of a pine tree in our backyar...

Give your doer muscles a rest

Yesterday, I taught a workshop about honoring the soul in our wisdom years. The event was for a group of women who belong to a non-denominational spiritual community that’s been in existence for more than 35 years. This was a seasoned group used to speaking about deeper issues and it was a pleasure to be in their company.

Throughout the conversation, one of the central topics of growing older and having more time to oneself (kids having left the nest, less responsibility, or entering retirement)...

Sweetheart, we’ll get through this

There’s a memory I recall when I need a reminder that I can handle life. I’m 24 years old, standing in a bathroom no bigger than a linen closet, staring at my bloodshot eyes in a mirror. I’m at work, crying over a breakup I was sure I’d never survive, trying to pull myself together to go back into my office. I’m a bookkeeper at a construction company and my desk is in the owner’s renovated garage. He’s not the warmest guy in the world and I know I need to suck it up and get back to work, but I f...

Choosing circles over silos

On a much-needed rainy afternoon, I sat in my office and read through the emails I received last week in response to my blog about shifting from conflict to connection. Honestly, when I finished, I was moved to tears.

So many people—Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and those just plain exhausted by it all—took the time to share detailed stories of why they voted the way they did. By the end, they reinforced my belief that healing happens when we learn to listen to each other.

One reader, in...

From conflict to connection

The afternoon sun is slipping below the horizon, turning the ash tree’s web of black branches pressed against the sky into fine art. Soon, a cloud of starlings will settle at the top before making their way south. When these chatty kids arrive, I imagine them crafting travel plans together before lifting off in unison toward their next adventure. It’s a sure sign winter is on the way.

As I sit here admiring the lingering light, I’m thinking about the aftermath of the election and how last week’s...

The medicine of wild things

I went for a long walk on Thursday to clear my head and to attempt to settle my reaction to the results of last week’s election. I still have a long way to go, and this week, I thought I’d share a quote from Wendell Berry that speaks to where I find peace and clarity. After an hour of walking around the neighborhood, I turned up my street and saw a majestic buck standing on the crest of a hill. I stopped in my tracks to admire his beauty and as we stared into each other’s eyes, I could feel his ...

Are you ready to rise?

Yesterday afternoon, I went to the bank to get some cash. I turned into the lane for the drive-through ATM and waited for someone in front of me to finish her business. Five minutes passed when I started to get antsy. What’s taking so long, I wondered as I shifted in my seat.

Breathe, I told myself. It’s just a chance to practice patience.

Five more minutes passed, and I could feel the energy ramping up in my body. Who stays at an ATM for ten minutes? I whined to no one. Why does she keep puttin...

You need to calm down

If you’re anxious about the election (and who isn’t?), I hope this blog from last October will help.

~*~ You need to calm down

I could barely catch my breath as I went to the kitchen to feed the cats. I had just received some distressing news that pressed several buttons, and it sent me tumbling back in time to all the familiar places where I’d felt the feeling before. My body was a storm – tight chest, shallow breathing, rigid arms, heart slammed shut. Desperate to release the anxiety, I picked...

Purrfect Peace

After several years of daily meditation, I’m still amazed at how often I’m somewhere else rather than where I am at any given moment. This morning, while chopping vegetables, I visited London, had a one-sided disagreement with a former colleague, made a mental list of chores that needed to be done, and crafted plans for a holiday party with my family. And that was all in the first few minutes!

One of the things a daily meditation practice has given me is a front-row seat to the show my mind puts...