Warm Glow

A

in

the Dark

I’ve always been completely captivated by light, glows specifically- of candlelight, of firelight, of moonlight and starlight, of kerosene lamplight, of wood-burning stove light, and of course, fairylight. It holds a wonder for me. An intimacy. Possibility. Something special and sacred. Mesmerizing. A comforting quiet. A sense of warmth and connectedness. A space between the physical and spiritual realms. A deep presence. Something magical.

I’ve always come back to this vision, this phrase in my mind, “a warm glow in the dark.” For years it’s visited me, especially the image of the old gas lamps of the 1800s. As I reflect on my past 40 years, I recognize that there was always a warm glow, even in the darkest days of my life, that led me and guided me. Some Divine presence urged me to follow. And some part of me listened. I am grateful for that. I owe so much to this warm glow and the gentle whisper bidding me to follow it. It took many forms, this whisper: conversations had, serendipitous encounters, words read, music heard, art taken in, transcendent experiences in nature, voices that stirred me.

It is my hope and my intention that my words in this collection of writing help to remind you of your own light and reflect your own connection to this warm glow, so that you might do the same for another in some form, because we are all connected to this light and to each other. And we can help each other by being brave enough to share what is most true for us, what is most real and beautiful, meaningful and authentic. This is why I’ve created this space and how it got its beautiful name.