Making promises to myself, in my personal writing practice, has been important to me all my life. In practical application it is so much easier for me to make promises to others, and keep them, than it is to make promises to myself. "Why is that?" and the answer I gave myself is that in making promises to others I create a model of accountability and reinforcement. I duplicate that in my writing and have grown increasingly better at making and keeping promises to myself.

Remember that nurturing yourself is as important (if not more so) as nurturing others.

Weariness comes, on some days, from lack of service to self.

It is (often) the quiet gesture which carries the most significance - the one which suddenly directs the symphony.

Live as if this is all there is.

One service to need heals an ancient wound.

I wrap the potential for bitterness, resentment, martyrdom in the blanket of forgiveness and just set it down. Then it just melts in the warmth. And goes away.