Casting a Larger Shadow

Posted by karynhenleyauthor

Whatever good we do,

Whatever kindness or hospitality we provide,

Will cast a larger shadow

Than we may ever see or realize.

– Diane Walker –

Nurture peace, cultivate kindness, and carry the calm.

Nature of the week:

Shadow of the Week:

If you want me to send these thoughts to your email each Sunday, simply sign up on the right.

Sand and Marble

Posted by karynhenleyauthor

“Write injuries in sand, kindnesses in marble.”

– French proverb –

Nurture peace, cultivate kindness, and carry the calm.

Nature of the week:

Shadow of the Week:

If you want me to send these thoughts to your email each Sunday, simply sign up on the right.

More Than Any Wise Man

Posted by karynhenleyauthor

“The soul that is kind and intends justice

discovers more than any wise man.”

– Sophocles –

Nurture peace. Cultivate kindness. Carry the calm.

Nature of the week – zucchini blooms:

Shadow of the Week:

If you want me to send these thoughts to your email each Sunday, simply sign up on the right.

Balancing Two Nevers

Posted by karynhenleyauthor

Never let your kindness keep you from being honest.

Never let your honesty keep you from being kind.

(adapted from The Artful Edit by Susan Bell)

Nurture peace. Cultivate kindness. Carry the calm.

Nature of the week:

Shadow of the Week:

If you want me to send these thoughts to your email each Sunday, simply sign up on the right.

Easing Change, Quieting Fear

Posted by karynhenleyauthor

“Kindness eases change.

Love quiets fear.”

– Octavia F. Butler, Parable of the Talents –

Nurture peace. Cultivate kindness. Carry the calm.

Just to clarify, I’m not talking about the peace of ignorance or the kindness of platitudes or the calmness of inaction. I’m talking about a reservoir of inner peace, kindness, and calm that strengthens, balances, and guides our thoughts, our words, our actions.

Nature of the week:

Shadow of the Week:

If you want me to send these thoughts to your email each Sunday, simply sign up on the right.

If You Want to See Birds

Posted by karynhenleyauthor

“If you want to see birds, you must have birds in your heart.”

– John Burroughs–

I think, too, that if we want to see peace, we must have peace in our hearts. If we want to see kindness, we must have kindness in our hearts. If we want to find calm, we must carry it within.

Nurture peace. Cultivate kindness. Carry the calm.

Nature of the week – A bluebird visited this week, which is a rare event. I barely got a picture of him before he flew away. Yesterday, he and his mate returned carrying grassy twigs and made themselves at home!

Shadow of the Week:

If you want me to send these thoughts to your email each Sunday, simply sign up on the right.

Standing Strong as Stone

Posted by karynhenleyauthor

“Life is mostly froth and bubble,

Two things stand like stone,

Kindness in another’s trouble,

Courage in your own.”

– Adam Lindsay Gordon –

Nurture peace. Cultivate kindness. Carry the calm.

Nature of the week:

Shadow of the Week – tinker toys beside a table:

If you want me to send these thoughts to your email each Sunday, simply sign up on the right.

The Deepest Thing Inside

Posted by karynhenleyauthor

“Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,

you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.”

– Naomi Shihab Nye, “Kindness”–

This quote comes from “Poetry for Tumultuous Times,” a page created by On Being and shared in their newsletter, “The Pause.” These links will take you to that page, where you can hear Nye’s entire poem “Kindness” as well as other encouraging poems and essays. These enriched and encouraged me, and I hope they will do the same for you.

Nurture peace. Cultivate kindness. Carry the calm.

Nature of the week: