With the aged windows of our farm house open, a spiced summer’s breeze brushed across my face. My grandmother stood at the sink meticulously yet mindlessly entranced by the dishes she scrubbed. Half humming and half singing in the lowest of registers, she meandered through her favorite song from long ago:
...In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore...
Lulled by the comfort of a satisfying dinner, I curled up on the ledge of our big picture window, savoring the fragrant air and sweet melodies of my family’s farm--the crickets chirping, the rustling of leaves in a subtle breeze, and my grandmother’s singing. Our gingham curtains gently swayed. I was not yet ten years old.
An ancient text called 'Pirkei Avot' entreats us to “know from where you came, and to where you are going." Now, as I step out of my home and head into my day of appointments and meetings so very distant from my childhood, I am reminded of how far I've come, and how far I am from the fields and flocks of my boyhood. And, perhaps most importantly, when I look back from where I came, I also see where I am headed.
Although I no longer walk through fields or pastures, I continue to live the life I grew up with--a life of cultivation. Instead of cultivating crops, I now cultivate rich and meaningful life. And indeed, I see communities and relationships as places of immense cultivation. They are places in which we can bring our truest selves to enrich our lives, feel inspired, and uplift our souls. Our lives are the geographies where we can find purpose and meaning. And it is ever my goal to foster and promote lives that are inspired, vibrant, vision-driven, well cultivated, and filled with purpose in which someone at any age not only feels at home in their life, but also has an opportunity to learn, grow, and find greater wholeness.
The world in which we find ourselves today is ever-changing and unpredictable. And to be sure, our lives are much the same--ever shifting and stressful. In moving toward my vision of a life well cultivated, I believe in the power of purposeful life-long learning, soulful holistic care, and personal growth. I truly believe that we can each can cultivate within ourselves a spiritual shelter from the uncertainties of life, while finding innovative ways to flourish that honor our uniqueness. Through my past on the family farm, and the lessons that life has brought to me, I value strategic planning and creative problem solving. And, in all that I provide, I bring a hard working, innovative, entrepreneurial spirit to finding creative, solid solutions to the obstacles we face.
Perhaps the hardest work before us, however, is the inner work of the spirit. To this day, I carry with me the contemplative calm of life on my family’s farm. Those early days of my life, instilled within me a deep, nearly palpable connection to the greater universe--one that continues to be a pillar of strength and clarity in my life. While long ago, my life’s path took me away from the farm, today I continue to nurture my sense of spirituality and my relationships through introspection, contemplative practice, and study.
When we learn about ourselves, we unleash the power of personal growth inherent within each of us. Contemplative arts such as yoga and mindfulness meditation practices further the possibilities for finding meaning and enriching our lives: mind, body, and soul. I believe that learning, contemplative practice, personal exploration, and openness may come together to raise us up toward a sense of our best selves.
Our initial passage from Pirkei Avot entreats us to be mindful of our life’s path. And while my path has been beautifully long, I know well where I have been. With the windows of our farm house open, I stood gazing out--examining from whence I had come. And, in my work and the services I provide, I continue to see where I am going. My roots began their life firmly planted in the good earth of my family’s farm. And now, they seek a new place to call home--the good earth of cultivation, of learning, of spirit, of innovation, care, and compassion. I seek growth and the opportunity to help others grow as well, celebrating strengths, working to heal weaknesses to live fulfilled lives of purpose and meaning. In short, I simply seek true cultivation, and I invite you to do the same.
...In the sweet by and by,
We shall meet on that beautiful shore...
Lulled by the comfort of a satisfying dinner, I curled up on the ledge of our big picture window, savoring the fragrant air and sweet melodies of my family’s farm--the crickets chirping, the rustling of leaves in a subtle breeze, and my grandmother’s singing. Our gingham curtains gently swayed. I was not yet ten years old.
An ancient text called 'Pirkei Avot' entreats us to “know from where you came, and to where you are going." Now, as I step out of my home and head into my day of appointments and meetings so very distant from my childhood, I am reminded of how far I've come, and how far I am from the fields and flocks of my boyhood. And, perhaps most importantly, when I look back from where I came, I also see where I am headed.
Although I no longer walk through fields or pastures, I continue to live the life I grew up with--a life of cultivation. Instead of cultivating crops, I now cultivate rich and meaningful life. And indeed, I see communities and relationships as places of immense cultivation. They are places in which we can bring our truest selves to enrich our lives, feel inspired, and uplift our souls. Our lives are the geographies where we can find purpose and meaning. And it is ever my goal to foster and promote lives that are inspired, vibrant, vision-driven, well cultivated, and filled with purpose in which someone at any age not only feels at home in their life, but also has an opportunity to learn, grow, and find greater wholeness.
The world in which we find ourselves today is ever-changing and unpredictable. And to be sure, our lives are much the same--ever shifting and stressful. In moving toward my vision of a life well cultivated, I believe in the power of purposeful life-long learning, soulful holistic care, and personal growth. I truly believe that we can each can cultivate within ourselves a spiritual shelter from the uncertainties of life, while finding innovative ways to flourish that honor our uniqueness. Through my past on the family farm, and the lessons that life has brought to me, I value strategic planning and creative problem solving. And, in all that I provide, I bring a hard working, innovative, entrepreneurial spirit to finding creative, solid solutions to the obstacles we face.
Perhaps the hardest work before us, however, is the inner work of the spirit. To this day, I carry with me the contemplative calm of life on my family’s farm. Those early days of my life, instilled within me a deep, nearly palpable connection to the greater universe--one that continues to be a pillar of strength and clarity in my life. While long ago, my life’s path took me away from the farm, today I continue to nurture my sense of spirituality and my relationships through introspection, contemplative practice, and study.
When we learn about ourselves, we unleash the power of personal growth inherent within each of us. Contemplative arts such as yoga and mindfulness meditation practices further the possibilities for finding meaning and enriching our lives: mind, body, and soul. I believe that learning, contemplative practice, personal exploration, and openness may come together to raise us up toward a sense of our best selves.
Our initial passage from Pirkei Avot entreats us to be mindful of our life’s path. And while my path has been beautifully long, I know well where I have been. With the windows of our farm house open, I stood gazing out--examining from whence I had come. And, in my work and the services I provide, I continue to see where I am going. My roots began their life firmly planted in the good earth of my family’s farm. And now, they seek a new place to call home--the good earth of cultivation, of learning, of spirit, of innovation, care, and compassion. I seek growth and the opportunity to help others grow as well, celebrating strengths, working to heal weaknesses to live fulfilled lives of purpose and meaning. In short, I simply seek true cultivation, and I invite you to do the same.
