Author: Michael Stevens

When I was a senior in high school, my English teacher said to me, “Whatever you do in your adult life, it should include writing. You should be a writer.” It took me another...

Winter has returned with a momentary flurry of energy (pun intended). The flakes fall and accumulate into a white blanket, creating a stark contrast to the crocus leaves beginning to pop out everywhere. Little...

I know, I know, it is still winter. But that will not keep us wildflower enthusiasts from searching for the first spring blooms. Tarn and I took a Losar wander into the wilds in...

It only takes a cursory scan of world history to see a number of stubborn recurrences. Inequitable economies, divisive political ideologies, religious wars, and dictatorships—these fill volumes of history. I think we could write...

Twenty-two degrees with bright sun in a cloudless sky—there is nothing better than this on a cold winter’s day. I am standing with my back to the white garage door. It reflects the sun...

Dharma is a word that has many levels of meaning. From a Buddhist perspective, dharma with a small ‘d’ simply means phenomena; everything we see and experience in the realm of form. Dharma, when...

During the Buddhist refuge ceremony, the rite of commitment to the path, I cut a small piece of hair from the crown of a participant. The hair is taken only directly from the crown,...

…the present is the leaky palm of water that we skim from the swift, silent river slipping by…—Dana Gioia We often talk about being in the moment as if it is an actual place...

Have you ever made a promise? Have you broken a promise? What does it take to follow through on a promise? A vow is like a promise made from the depths of our hearts....

The notes of a Strauss waltz, emanating from stereo speakers, bounce around our small home, and we are enticed to engage the rhythm. Our 72-year-old bodies don’t seem to be as light on the...