sitting in the hot tub at the local rec center, the man next to me was chatting. as a woman climbed into the hot tub with us, he asked if she was okay and offered to help her. she proceeded in and then paused in front of him. with kind eyes and a soft yetContinue reading “becky”
Author Archives: amy j howton
forgiveness
it’s no coincidence that 2/3 of jesus’ sermons were on forgiveness… …that bishop desmond tutu, in his life’s work around Truth and Reconciliation in South Africa centered forgiveness. evolution requires it. transformation demands it. LOVE invokes it. life has given me lessons on this so that i might know it–intellectually, in my heart, in myContinue reading “forgiveness”
this
may i remember this … the first rain drop, joined slowly by others painting the sidewalk, drop by drop first, gentle and sweet and then powerfully pouring down upon me a baptism until we joined together in pounding out life’s drumbeat David Lurey, the perfect accompanist as my playlist cues up his song May IContinue reading “this”
descent
yesterday i listened to an interview with Robert MacFarlane, author of Underland. he spoke of the long history (6 million years!) of humans’ descent to landscapes “underneath” and hidden away–a universal, original longing to descend to the dark places for revelation: caves, tunnels, underground passages, underground railroads. it’s interesting to consider how our interplay withContinue reading “descent”
pregnant
may: a month that signals new beginnings, new growth–a new season. may is potent, full, pregnant. the plan was to go camping for memorial day weekend. i imagined pitching a tent, sitting around the fire, star gazing. cicadas. doggos. marshmallows. by the time we reached the weekend–after meg’s elementary school graduation, michael’s last day ofContinue reading “pregnant”
we cannot offer others what we do not have
in my current role with the Diocese of Southern Ohio serving as the Becoming Beloved Community Coordinator, i offered this reflection in a recent newsletter publication. navigating times such as these call for growing our own capacities as diverse teams to respond wisely from a place of love rather than react from a place ofContinue reading “we cannot offer others what we do not have”
chaos + creation
last week was one of chaotic energy with opportunities to notice the power of embodied creation–what it feels like to be human and in this body and join with the creative forces of the universe the turbulent waters of our lives stir us and in that stirring, an awakening if we allow it and ifContinue reading “chaos + creation”
wholeness
back in the day, when i worked for a social innovation firm focused on community-centered design, i found it so curious that in order to elevate “community voice” we invited and designated individuals to participate as “community members”. inherent in this practice is the assumption that there is difficulty/impossibility in showing up as whole individualsContinue reading “wholeness”
LOVE THE EARTH
by meg (11 years old) for earth day Stop! We need to stop killing animals and polluting the ocean. About 30,000 sharks are getting killed an hour not even a year and that’s our fault. When birds feed, they have help from the sharks attracting fish to the surface so sharks and birds feed onContinue reading “LOVE THE EARTH”
re-source
a week ago i slipped away for a few quiet days in nature with my family. we found a new-to-us-place tucked in between huge stone formations in the hills of kentucky, near a lake. it was beautiful and remote… and needed. isn’t it always? i think of the days and weeks leading up to thatContinue reading “re-source”
wildroots 