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Wishing Our Children Happiness  By Wendy O'Leary If you have children you know the feeling; the deep desire to FIX things that don’t go their way.  That urge to manage and get ahead of their possible disappointments and frustrations and to see them “happy”.  I remember clearly sitting in a parents group when my youngest was in elementary school and participating in a discussion about what we most wanted for our children.  Being happy was at the top of everyone’s list and yet our ideas of what this meant and how to “make” it happen seemed unclear at best and more than a bit out of sync with the reality of how the world works. Parents at this workshop wanted their kids to …make the team, get the part in the play, get into the right college, be successful in school, have good friends, be popular, and the list goes on. Basically happiness was defined as the  “oh so practical” wish for them to never feel let down or disappointed and for everything in their lives to be perfect! You see t

ROSE BUSH WISDOM

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Wendy O'Leary Who knew so much teaching could fit into a tiny rose bush! The learning began slowly several years ago when I excitedly planted several rose bushes near the waterfront in my yard so I could enjoy some beautiful bright flowers. I am not a great gardener so I was overjoyed when they started to bloom and in fact would look out my bedroom window each morning and smile. They should bloom all summer so you can imagine my surprise when my yard was full of pink blooms one day and was totally barren the next. Upon inspection, it was clear that a beaver had decided he also liked my sweet roses and off they went! This began the multi year adventure of bringing some of them back to life (and I confess getting some new ones) and trying to discourage my beaver friend from coming in our yard.  Over these few years I think some lessons are finally beginning to sink in…..  You can’t stop nature. The beaver is part of the nature of being on a lake. As is the turtle, snake, birds and ot

Intention: Setting Direction on the Stormy Seas of a Pandemic

Intention: Setting Direction On The Stormy Seas Of A Pandemic: Though I have been thinking a lot about how my mindfulness practice provides me with some much appreciated support in the midst of this pandemic, it is the questions around intention that have deepened that practice and enhanced my capacity to choose how I relate to this moment.  So what is my intention in these unprecedented times and how does my practice help me orient in that direction? The Buddha taught that everything arises at the tip of intention. This has never been more evident to me than it is right now. The reality is, I can do virtually nothing about what is unfolding. What I can do is cultivate the ability, moment by moment, to choose how I relate to this experience. How do I want to respond to these challenging times? What is my intention in the midst of this pandemic and how does my practice support me?  Can I “let be” and relax with this level of uncertainty?  What can support me in that pr