Inspire a Fire
Oh Well
It was not a new joke. And it was not funny the first 400 times I heard it. Then one day, years later, the unthinkable happened.
An Act in Due Season
before you start thinking this is just another cute puppy story, let me stop you right there. During this valentine’s season when so much attention is placed on the emotion of love, let me suggest we place some attention on the practicality of love.
Who Invented Dental Floss
I heard the comment once that conversations never end in ”I don’t know” anymore. Inevitably someone will whip out their cell phone and ask Siri, and the answer magically will appear. This was certainly the case for me the other night when I was – you guessed it – flossing my teeth. Perhaps you’ve never…
Shoveling Rain
The storm started as rain. Cold and pelting. Then sluicing. Then softer. The quality of the sound changed, the texture of the rain changed, and I knew it was time for action. By the time I bundled into winter gear and opened the door, giant white flakes were soaking into the wetness. Slush coated every…
Like a Shower of Leaves
I had forgotten the sound, but I remember it now. Standing in a New England woods, watching the autumn leaves drift through the canopy, I flash back. I remember tumbling through giant piles of leaves, the scratch of rakes against the lawn, the smell of old work gloves and leafy tannins. I remember the sunlight,…
Leadership Lessons in a Blade of Grass
There is an opportunity in between all of that to have a real impact. Here’s how.
Hope in the Sticky Middle
Hope in the sticky middle means having gratitude for today’s gifts while we still pursue a brighter tomorrow.
Advice from a Friend
No matter how clearly I can see the path of another, there is always the possibility that what I share will not actually be right for them. It might be accurate and true, but it might not be the right time, or the right lesson, or the right path for them.
Letting Go While Letting Go
There are always two parts to letting go.
Hope from the Father
I’ve heard it said that you can live several weeks without food, several days without water, and several minutes without oxygen; but you can’t live one second without hope. If this is true, I want to know what it means to have hope. I once had a friend describe to me a difficult time she…
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Meet Janet!
Janet Beagle, PhD is the founder of The Mustard Patch. She divides her time between the Midwest and New England, and if she’s not writing, she’s probably out hiking with her 2-and 4-footed friends.