A quest for the magic in life, language, and literature
Honeybees are so important and so endangered in our world today. I'm grateful for the years I spent working in the office at The Pfeiffer Center in Chestnut Ridge, New York, where I learned something about these amazing creatures, and got to know some beekeepers who are doing wonderful, holistically-oriented programs. If you want to … Continue reading Seeking the honey of life
Last month we went to see the touring version of the new London production of Les Misérables in Zürich. I saw the original New York production many years ago as a teenager, and vividly recall how deeply I was moved; it stirred me to my core in a way I could not explain, as all … Continue reading Do you hear the people sing?
This essay was previously published in the now-defunct online journal Enchanted Conversation. In fairy tales, marriage has a double nature. Its most well-known aspect is as a sign of completion, fulfillment and union; the end of the story, beyond which no more need be told. Cinderella, Briar Rose—this is what we mean when we say … Continue reading Beyond the happy ending
I've started a project of reading the Bible in one year, using an app that divides it into three daily readings from the Psalms and Proverbs, New Testament, and Old Testament, with commentary. I don't always agree with the evangelical bent of the commentator, but mostly the themes and resonances that he points out are … Continue reading Wrestling with fear
Sometimes I write poetry. It may not be very good, but it gives me pleasure. I don't have a regular time or method for doing this. A phrase or sentence comes into my head and rolls around till I do something with it. Or I observe something, an outwardly visible image that wants to be … Continue reading Mother Holle – a poem
As I get things started here on my new blog, I'll occasionally be posting essays that I wrote for other publications. This essay was originally published in 2011 in the online journal Cabinet des Fees. When Rumplestiltskin offers to spin straw into gold for the miller’s daughter, he reveals himself as an initiate of one … Continue reading Spinning a tale