“There is nothing as compelling as the human spirit on fire”

The above quote is from Tony Robbins, the infamous transformation guru.  This came to me as I read Douglas Robson’s blog which features an extensive interview with Newton Marshall, the first Jamaican to enter the Iditarod race in Alaska.  I met Newton at the launch of the Jamaica Dogsled Team in Toronto last fall.  His […]

I am too busy to …..

The previous 2 weeks have been very hectic for me – my blog fans will notice that I haven’t even posted a blog during this time.  I have been inundated with “things to do” – all with deadlines that coalesced around this time – the University of the West Indies Toronto Benefit Gala, grading 300 […]

A gift from Mahalia and her mom

I am sharing this beautiful experience that my friend Mahalia related to me and other friends.  There are so many lessons for us, and I thank Mahalia for putting them out there for us all to share.  It is good to remember, in the final week before Christmas, that the best gifts are not purchased […]

The Daisy mug

My mom’s name was Daisy.  Marguerite, my name, is French for Daisy.   I have always loved that she named me after her in a very unique way. One Christmas Rev. John, her dear friend and spiritual advisor, gave her a beautiful mug with daisies on it.  She loved that mug.  And on her passing, I […]

What’s keeping us from catching the squirrel?

The squirrel chase resumed in dogged earnestness (pun intended) this morning.  The dogs know the spots where they are most likely to meet squirrels, so we now have a set route for the morning walk.  I follow their lead. As I tried my best to keep up with them, being dragged at Bolt-like speed when […]

What do you fear? There’s a name for it ……

I subscribe to Dictionary.com’s  “Word of the Day”.  Yesterday’s word fascinated me: triskaidekaphobia \tris-ky-dek-uh-FOH-bee-uh\, noun: Fear or a phobia concerning the number 13. I had never heard this word before, and couldn’t believe that this fear is so prevalent that there is a special word to describe it.  Intrigued by this idea, I googled “names […]

What a way to go! What a way to live!

One of Jamaica’s most beloved and talented playwrights, Trevor Rhone, made his transition on Monday.  I was lucky enough to have known him, as he was a man of great wit, humility and elegance. There is a story around his passing – he went to Bella’s Gate, his childhood home deep in rural Jamaica on […]

Nothing is ever lost …. but my money was stolen!

There is a chapter in my book, “Free and Laughing: Spiritual Insights in Everyday Moments” entitled “Nothing is ever lost”. In this chapter I reflect on the nature of our divinely ordered Universe, which deems that everything is in its divinely ordered place and can therefore not be lost. “Nothing is ever lost” is a […]

Follow up to the unfree and unlaughing moment

So, yesterday morning I turn into a parking lot for a meeting downtown and wait patiently for the security guard to complete his processing of a vehicle exiting the lot. He then approaches my car, and when I say “Good morning. How are you”, he replies with “Not as good as you”. He then sweetly […]

Laughter and work

  We have made a virtue out of being serious. We believe that to be professional, to be businesslike, to have credibility and power, we must be austere, solemn and sober with nary a smile, laugh nor twinkle of the eye to be displayed openly. Thus, our places of work are mausoleums, testimony to the […]

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