A Reason For Optimism

Dear Friends, I step on the terrace. My eyes rest on the mountains that silently stand in the background. Below me swarms of colorful butterflies flutter joyfully and feast on the lantana flowers rich with nectar. I enjoy watching them as they spread their wings and gather warmth from the morning sun. The lush greenery …

Hoping to Bounce Back Soon!

Dear Friends, A very warm, still morning greets me in Atenas today. The atmosphere is convent quiet. Nothing sings. The silence is suddenly ruptured when our neighbor and his dogs walk by for their exercise. Our dog, sensing their presence in "her" territory utters intruder alerts before sighing and returning to her usual place at …

Father’s Day in Covid-19 Times

Dear Friends, Greetings on this day that began for me with a mix of sun and clouds. The birds are quiet. The fields are overloaded with vibrant colors that contrast with the greens of the freshly-mowed lawn. I recall that just a few weeks ago, the grass was brown and crisp; the dry season seemed …

Towards Real Change

Dear Friends, It's a quiet, hot morning where I am. The June rains have assured the grass that it's time to revive. The purples and reds in the blooming flowers add to the stained-glass perfection of Nature's canvas. Everything is bursting with color and energy, transformation is in the air. The world-at-large is joining, with …

An Auspicious Moment for Change

Dear Friends, I've spent the last few minutes observing the shuddering of the lush, green branches on the guava tree below. I am curious to see what kind of bird is making them sway and reach for my camera. Suddenly, I catch a glimpse of a pair of squirrels as they scurry along in search …

A World In Constant Flux

Dear Friends, The warm breeze brushing my arm is comforting. Across the unending sky I observe a pandemonium of parrots as they fly in unison. My ears need not strain to hear their wild mayhem that stops suddenly as the birds move to another place and disappear from view. In this moment, it feels like …

Live to Tell

Dear Friends, The rainy season has arrived and with it the verdant greenery that calms and rejuvenates my spirit. Take a break from whatever you are doing now, close your eyes, breathe deeply. Enjoy a small mental vacation that takes you to back to a time in the recent past when we could go out, …

Wishin’ and Hopin’

Dear Friends, After more than a decade of writing to you and encouraging you to go out, deeply breathing and stretching, the new global restrictions in effect since mid-March remind me that I must instead insist that we adhere to local and national recommendations so we can continue to remain healthy. We must stay indoors …

A Different Celebration

Dear Friends, The morning's sun greets me as do the energetic calls from the birds outside my window. Closer inspection allows me to see that the frequent trips made near our roof are to a well-established nest that is home to a new family! I confess I tried often to discourage that place from becoming …

A Revealing Hibernation

Dear Friends, The screeching of the parrots that normally fly over our home is absent this morning. I wonder where they are hiding and walk to the terrace to see if I can catch sight of at least one of them. While perusing the landscape I observe the patches of green grass dotting the otherwise-brown …