The Four (or more!) Rs

August 18th, 2024

Well, here we are in a whole other month since we last gathered and soon it will be September…what?? We’ve had a chance to relax, recharge, rejuvenate, and rediscover the world around us as Colleen continues her recovery (there’s another one!) which still feels too slow – haha! This “back to school” time, even though we are no longer in the thick of it (except that a number of our younger music students return from summer break), has an air of busyness to it that always calls for us (personally) to take some down time before the new school year begins. We are now refreshed and ready to take it all on! We would love to hear your stories of how you relax and recharge – so important in our fast paced world! We’ll have a potluck following our in person gathering this Sunday. Hope you can join us!
Rest assured, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“Taking a break. Been working solid for the last few hours, as opposed to working liquid, which is more drinkable. Can I pour you a glass of productivity?”
~ Jarod Kintz

“There is something eternally satisfying about lying motionless for hours on end, watching the world move around us like the shadow on a sundial….. I’m in no hurry to do anything. I’ll probably lie here for the rest of the day. (Great term, that, ‘rest of the day’.)”
~ Fennel Hudson

“Everybody needs some time to rejuvenate, refresh, recharge and begin again…”
~ Revathi Sankaran

“Take the time to slow down, relax, meditate, and contemplate the wonders within. You will discover an inner calm and balance that previously eluded you.”
~ Joanne Madeline Moore

“Want to detox yourself? Write down your dreams each morning in a journal and reflect. It’s like cleaning out the cookies from your mental computer.”
~ Jennifer Ritchie Payette

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

(dates subject to change)

Sunday, August 18th – In Person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with Community Potluck afterwards. Please bring food to share and your own washable plate. We’ll provide utensils, cups, cloth napkins and a variety of beverages!

Sunday, August 25th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, September 1st – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. (**switched with September 8th)

Sunday, September 8th – In Person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. (**switched with September 1st, as Judi Lucero plans to be
with us in person this day, sharing in the music with her “fluteful” presence!!).

Sunday, September 15th – In Person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, September 22nd – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, September 29th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, October 6th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart continues to welcome and appreciate your generous donations as we work to bolster our finances and return to regular Sunday gatherings. During the pandemic, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart. Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible!

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day.

Gratitudes

We are grateful to have had the opportunity to take some time away to experience a couple of music festivals in the mountains of CO – one of which Myles was playing! We had restful, musical times with family and friends! And all that rain – Yes, Yes, Yes!

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”
~ Willie Nelson

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seekers life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.”
~ Sri Chinmoy

“Gratitude for the present moment and the fullness of life now is the true prosperity.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world. Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation!

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

07/26/202407/26/2024

International Day of Friendship

July 28th, 2024

We learned this week (thanks, Rev Scott!) that the International Day of Friendship is July 30th, a day dedicated to celebrating and appreciating friendships worldwide. More importantly, it aims to promote understanding, tolerance, and inclusiveness among different nationalities, communities, and cultures, and to promote a Culture of Peace. “Our world faces many challenges, crises and forces of division – such as poverty, violence, and human rights abuses – among many others – that undermine peace, security, development and social harmony among the world’s peoples.
To confront those crises and challenges, their root causes must be addressed by promoting and defending a shared spirit of human solidarity that takes many forms – the simplest of which is friendship.” ~ UN.org
What a beautiful thing and something worth celebrating! Join us on ZOOM this week as we delve into this initiative even further. Here’s the link:

Paths of Heart Zoom
Time: Jul 28, 2024 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81672051307?pwd=ubrun5vOhFEME9gizSjuMvFaa1So49.1
Meeting ID: 816 7205 1307
Passcode: 666506

In friendship, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“If we will listen to the heartbeat of another, we will hear the great rhythm of the Universe resounding in us. Through our friends the Infinite speaks a divine language.”
~ Ernest Holmes

“Friend, our closeness is this: anywhere you put your foot, feel me in the firmness under you.”
~ Rumi

“There are no strangers here; Only friends you haven’t yet met.”
~ William Butler Yeats

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing
and rightdoing there is a field.
I’ll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass
the world is too full to talk about.”
~ Rumi

“Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”
~ Abraham Lincoln

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

(dates subject to change)

Sunday, July 28th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, August 4th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, August 11th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, August 18th – In Person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with Community Potluck afterwards

Sunday, August 25th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, September 1st – In person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, September 8th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned to be a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day.

Gratitudes

We are grateful that with Colleen’s recovery, we’re able to get out and about more and enjoy the things we love – music, friends, family, food, camping! We get to see Myles again as he’ll be doing another Colorado tour soon.

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”
~ Willie Nelson

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seekers life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.”
~ Sri Chinmoy

“Gratitude for the present moment and the fullness of life now is the true prosperity.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

About Paths of Heart…

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

07/19/202407/20/2024

My ‘Word of the Year’ was “Patience”…

July 21st, 2024

…but I realized 2 days ago that I’d forgotten all about it while in the throes of recovery from my hip surgery! I’d been having a rough go of it and had actually mentioned the word frequently over the last week – “I need to be patient with my body and myself…”, etc., but the fact that I had chosen that word to guide me throughout the year was lost to me for a time. Having that realization and thinking back on the intention and process I used in choosing that word has suddenly made my recovery a more positive process! Since we’re halfway through this year (!!), we thought it’d be fun to revisit our words of the year (if you participate in that exercise) and see if they’ve brought any revelations or changes to your lives. Even if you don’t personally have a particular guiding word, it’s always interesting to hear others’ choices and perspectives. And if nothing else, we can talk about…Patience! We hear it’s quite the virtue…
Please stay afterwards for our community potluck in the backyard (it’s supposed to be cooler weather?). Bring a favorite dish to share and your own reusable plate please. We’ll provide utensils, cups, cloth napkins and a variety of beverages.
Inch by Inch (still applies from last week!), Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“A word of the year is a single word you choose that can guide you through your year and be a north star to come back to when you might feel like you’re faltering from your goals or values. It can be something that feels empowering, comforting, or even a little daring.”
~ goodgoodgood.co

“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says ‘I’m possible!'”
~ Audrey Hepburn

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.”
~ Michael Altshuler

“You make a choice: continue living your life feeling muddled in this abyss of self-misunderstanding, or you find your identity independent of it. You draw your own box.”
~ Duchess Meghan

“For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.”
~ Michelle Obama

“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”
~ A.A. Milne

Patience is not the ability to wait. Patience is to be calm no matter what happens, constantly take action to turn it to positive growth opportunities, and have faith to believe that it will all work out in the end while you are waiting.”
~ Roy T. Bennett

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

(dates subject to change)

Sunday, July 21st – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with Community Potluck afterwards.

Sunday, July 28th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, August 4th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, August 11th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, August 18th – In Person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with Community Potluck afterwards

Sunday, August 25th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Gratitudes

Gratitude remains for friends and family stepping in to do household and garden chores during Colleen’s recovery. Thanks also for the cards, calls, texts, and emails of love, encouragement, and support. We are also OVERWHELMINGLY GRATEFUL to several folks who stepped up to make significant monetary contributions to Paths of Heart in our time of need! We are again solvent, though we will still need to explore more steady and permanent fixes to this ongoing challenge if we are to continue our passionate work in the coming years. Thank you all for whatever support you can give and have given in the past.

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”
~ Willie Nelson

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seekers life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.”
~ Sri Chinmoy

“Gratitude for the present moment and the fullness of life now is the true prosperity.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

About Paths of Heart…

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

07/12/202407/13/2024

Lessons From the Garden

July 14th, 2024

Even though we are not tending a vegetable garden this year, there is still plenty to do around the yard and flower beds, and our CSA’s newsletter has me excited for all the varied produce bursting forth for us to enjoy. We are definitely in the height of “growing season” and as usual, we can draw lovely parallels between our gardens and other areas of our lives. That’s the theme for this week – we hope you’ll join us!
Inch by Inch, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“The best place to find God is in a garden. You can dig for him there.”
~ George Bernard Shaw

“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.”
~ May Sarton

“Gardening makes sense in a senseless world. By extension, then, the more gardens in the world, the more justice, the more sense is created.”
~ Andrew Weil

“What we plant in the soil of contemplation, we shall reap in the harvest of action.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“My mind is a garden. My thoughts are the seeds. My harvest will be either flower or weeds.”
~ Mel Weldon

“A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.”
~ Gertrude Jekyll

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

(dates subject to change)

Sunday, July 14th – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 21st – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with Community Potluck afterwards.

Sunday, July 28th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, August 4th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, August 11th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, August 18th – In Person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with Community Potluck afterwards

Sunday, August 25th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Gratitudes

We continue to be grateful for Colleen’s recovery – at times it feels slow, but we’re feeling progress!
We are grateful for friends and family stepping in to do household and garden chores during this time. We are also OVERWHELMINGLY GRATEFUL to several folks who stepped up to make significant monetary contributions to Paths of Heart in our time of need! We are again solvent, though we will still need to explore more steady and permanent fixes to this ongoing challenge if we are to continue our passionate work in the coming years. Thank you all for whatever support you can give and have given in the past.

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”
~ Willie Nelson

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seekers life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.”
~ Sri Chinmoy

“Gratitude for the present moment and the fullness of life now is the true prosperity.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

About Paths of Heart…

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

07/04/202407/05/2024

Finding Our Freedom

July 7th, 2024

As I sit to write this newsletter on July 4th, I’m having mixed feelings about what to celebrate. Certainly our country has fared better than many in its quest for democracy and equality in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Yet, the current chaos in our beautiful country has me searching for deeper meanings of freedom. Most times, the freedoms we create and recognize in our personal lives, our loving communities, and in nature are what will nurture and sustain us through troubling times. We’ve read some remarkable essays and blogs over the last few days and will share some of their wisdom. Of course we also want to hear from you and how you define and find freedom in your lives. We’re scheduled to be on ZOOM this week and the link is below. Recovery from surgery has had its ups and downs, so we are reserving the choice to cancel should it not feel prudent to meet with you all on Sunday. Thanks for your understanding!
Holding Space, Colleen and Mark

Paths of Heart ZOOM
Time: Jul 7, 2024 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81323458338?pwd=WdrEj8xbd4Ehb2fjC5jJ2iErXTtCb5.1

Meeting ID: 813 2345 8338
Passcode: 478664

Quotes to ponder

“Your choices are your only freedom.”
~ Lailah Gifty Akita

“True freedom is always spiritual. It has something to do with your innermost being, which cannot be chained, handcuffed, or put into a jail.”
~ Osho

“Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything – anger, anxiety, or possessions – we cannot be free.”
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.”
~ Albert Camus

“Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.”
~ Jean-Paul Sartre

“I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.”
~ Robert A. Heinlein

“The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people….every day.”
~ David Foster Wallace

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

(dates subject to change)

Sunday, July 7th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 14th – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 21st – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with Community Potluck afterwards.

Sunday, July 28th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, August 4th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, August 11th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, August 18th – In Person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with Community Potluck afterwards

Sunday, August 25th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Gratitudes

We are so grateful to Colleen’s entire surgery team for their excellent skill and care. Recovery is happening, slow and steady!
We are grateful for friends and family stepping in to do household and garden chores during this time. We are also OVERWHELMINGLY GRATEFUL to several folks who stepped up to make significant monetary contributions to Paths of Heart in our time of need! We are again solvent, though we will still need to explore more steady and permanent fixes to this ongoing challenge if we are to continue our passionate work in the coming years. Thank you all for whatever support you can give and have given in the past.

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”
~ Willie Nelson

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seekers life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.”
~ Sri Chinmoy

“Gratitude for the present moment and the fullness of life now is the true prosperity.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

About Paths of Heart…

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

06/21/202406/23/2024

Treasuring Community (and Happy Solstice)

June 23rd, 2024

Hi Everyone! We’ve missed you! We are back from our various travels (trying to get it all in before Colleen’s surgery!) and are excited to see you at this Sunday’s in-person gathering. Besides acknowledging Summer Solstice and the lessons we can glean from Nature’s seasonal rhythms, we wanted to talk about our Community, as we have found ourselves at yet another “crossroads” financially, since we explored our challenges two years ago with our participant survey. The “Pandemic Years” (or something else?) still seem to be affecting attendance and donation patterns. We continue to hear similar stories of challenges from other non-profits, so we know this isn’t unique to just Paths of Heart. Still…what is the solution? This Community is so important to us – yes, TREASURED – and yet, there frankly needs to be more support for it to continue. We’d love to hear your ideas, treasured friends! We’ve been gathering with you for over 10 years now and we’d love nothing more than to continue doing so!
Sunshine and flowers, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.”
~ Margaret J. Wheatley

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”
~ Coretta Scott King

“The summer solstice is a time for strength and vitality for action and movement.”
~ Carole Carlton

“…This is the solstice, the still point of the sun, its cusp and midnight,
the year’s threshold and unlocking, where the past lets go of and becomes the future; the place of caught breath, the door of a vanished house left ajar…”
~ Margaret Atwood

“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much”
~ Helen Keller

“The need for connection and community is primal, as fundamental as the need for air, water, and food.”
~ Dean Ornish

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Sunday, June 23rd – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m. Sorry, no potluck this time!

Sunday, June 30th – (Change in Schedule) NO Paths of Heart Gathering (Colleen’s hip surgery got moved up!)

Sunday, July 7th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 14th – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 21st – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Gratitudes

We’ve had a fun couple of weeks, first down in the San Luis Valley of CO celebrating in community with Suzanne Rouge. Colleen took full advantage of the healing waters of the Joyful Journey Hot Springs and got healing touch sessions with Sue Walker! Then we were off to North Carolina, visiting childhood friends of both Colleen and Mark, seeing Myles on tour, and visiting with Colleen’s niece and family. We are so grateful for these friendships and opportunities!

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”
~ Willie Nelson

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seekers life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.”
~ Sri Chinmoy

“Gratitude for the present moment and the fullness of life now is the true prosperity.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

About Paths of Heart…

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

05/30/202405/30/2024

Guided by Passion

June 2nd, 2024

A quote about passion in a friend’s newsletter spurred on this week’s topic! I’ve been feeling passionate about my life lately – spending time with dear friends and family, immersing myself in my favorite season of the year (even as I can’t “dig in” as I usually do because of hip issues), and looking forward to a resolution of those hip issues very soon so I can become even MORE passionate about returning to the activities I’m passionate about!! We believe following one’s passion(s) can be the most significant factor in a life well lived, full of enthusiasm, joy, and success on all levels. Please join us in conversation on ZOOM this Sunday. Here’s the link:
Paths of Heart Zoom Meeting
Time: Jun 2, 2024 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89971942298?pwd=Br6XJAbdLK3TGUX13t0fbroLo5pvUo.1

Meeting ID: 899 7194 2298
Passcode: 630355

Love and light, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“Love what you do and do what you love. Passion is the key that opens the door to joy and abundance.”
~ David Cuschieri

“Always go with your passions. Never ask yourself if it’s realistic or not.”
~ Deepak Chopra

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”
~ Maya Angelou

“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”
~ Albert Einstein

“Passion is so key in leading and creating excellence that I will hire passion over education and talent every time.”
~ Dave Ramsey

“Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do with your life, be passionate.”
~ Jon Bon Jovi

“Chase down your passion like it’s the last bus of the night.”
~ Terri Guillemets

“Your passion is waiting for your courage to catch up.”
~ Isabelle Lafleche

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Sunday, June 2nd – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, June 9th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, June 16th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, June 23rd – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, June 30th – (Change in Schedule) NO Paths of Heart Gathering (Colleen’s hip surgery got moved up!)

Sunday, July 7th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 14th – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 21st – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Guest Presenters and Musicians Wanted! Now that we’re meeting on a more regular basis we’d love to get back to having other folks present a topic on some Sundays and having other musicians sit in as well. Please get in touch if you’re interested! A small honorarium is available.

Gratitudes

What a fun week and a half we’ve had with Myles here in town, music sharing, a visit from Colleen’s friend, a trip to Estes, a trip to Boulder to hear Myles play with the Jacob Jolliff Band, and just generally enjoying life together! Life is GOOD!

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”
~ Willie Nelson

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seekers life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.”
~ Sri Chinmoy

“Gratitude for the present moment and the fullness of life now is the true prosperity.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

About Paths of Heart…

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

05/24/202405/24/2024

Remembrance

May 26th, 2024

Here it is Memorial Day weekend, and for some folks it’s just a sweet 3 day weekend, the unofficial start of summer, and a good time to buy a new mattress. However, the real reason of this holiday is to honor all U.S. soldiers who have died serving their country – certainly a worthy commemoration. It also got us thinking about remembrance and honoring in general, of those that have passed before us and influenced us in significant and meaningful ways. We’ll talk about these remembrances this Sunday, followed by our monthly potluck (finally outside??). Please bring your own reusable plate if possible and some food to share.
Love and light, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; Love leaves a memory no one can steal.”
~ Unknown

“It has been said, ‘time heals all wounds.’ I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.”
~ Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy

“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.”
~ Arthur Ashe

“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.”
~ Thomas Campbell

“There is no death, daughter. People die only when we forget them,’ my mother explained shortly before she left me. ‘If you can remember me, I will be with you always.”
~ Isabel Allende

“The legacy of brave men and women who have fought and died for their country is the freedom we enjoy as Americans.”
~ Lucian Adams

“The living owe it to those who no longer can speak to tell their story for them.”
~ Czeslaw Milosz

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Sunday, May 26th – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with our monthly potluck afterwards. We’ll provide cloth napkins, cups, utensils, and a variety of beverages.

Sunday, June 2nd – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, June 9th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, June 16th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, June 23rd – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, June 30th – (Change in Schedule) NO Paths of Heart Gathering (Colleen’s hip surgery got moved up!)

Sunday, July 7th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 14th – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 21st – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Gratitudes

We are grateful for our recent trip back to NJ to visit Colleen’s Dad, for Myles’ visit this week, and for a visit from Colleen’s friend, Robin from kindergarten – you’ll get to meet her this Sunday!

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”
~ Willie Nelson

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seekers life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.”
~ Sri Chinmoy

“Gratitude for the present moment and the fullness of life now is the true prosperity.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

About Paths of Heart…

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

05/09/202405/09/2024

Honoring Mother Energy Everywhere

May 12th, 2024

It’s Mother’s Day this Sunday – a time to honor our own Mothers, those who may have stepped in to offer mothering energy in our lives, the Great Earth Mother, the Divine Feminine, and the nurturing, supportive “mothering” energy within all of us! Pierce Pettis will be here as our guest musician, and please remember his concert here Friday, May 10th at 7 pm – there are still seats available and we hope you can join us! Details below in the “Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest” section.

Happy Mother’s Day! Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“Motherhood means being fearless, scared, overwhelmed, in control, creative, and selfless—sometimes all at once.”
~ Seva.org

“Whatever examples of great mothering we may or may not have had growing up, we each have the chance to embody that deep, loving, and supportive energy in ourselves right now.”
~ Garrett-Martin.com

“Mother’s Day is tricky. If you’re a mother or have a mother figure in your life, you know it’s nearly impossible to distill the full importance of motherhood down to one day. The most meaningful celebrations of motherhood are found in everyday moments: an impromptu phone call that lasts for hours, that first big hug after months spent apart. You can only hear ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ one day a year, but ‘Mom, I love you’ hits home every time.”
~ AJ Willingham

A police recruit was asked during the exam, “What would you do if you had to arrest your own mother?” He answered, “Call for backup.”
~ unknown

“Motherhood takes many forms. This month we celebrate the spirit of mothering: the compassion and love shown by those who have cared for us and those we care for, from mothers and stepmothers to aunts, grandmothers, sisters, teachers, and friends.”
~ Patti Smith

“Mother energy is universal. It is the large expression of the sacred feminine that comes from spirit. It is embodied in all our biological mothers, but it’s not limited or confined to them.”
~ Elaine Seiler

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

We hope you can make it to this Friday’s house concert with the highly entertaining and talented Pierce Pettis! Friday, May 10th – Doors at 6:30, concert starts at 7 pm. Finger foods and drinks at intermission while you chat with Pierce. Bring something to share if you can. Suggested donation $20.00. Please RSVP, or best yet, pre-pay with paypal https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/ (with Pierce Pettis in the special instructions), or with venmo (type “Pierce Pettis” in “What’s it for?” memo line) https://account.venmo.com/u/PathsofHeart. Learn all about Pierce on his website https://www.piercepettis.com/

Sunday, May 12th – Mother’s Day, In person Gathering, 10:30 a.m., with Pierce Pettis as our guest musician!

Sunday, May 19th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, May 26th – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with our monthly potluck afterwards

Sunday, June 2nd – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, June 9th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, June 16th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, June 23rd – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, June 30th – (Change in Schedule) NO Paths of Heart Gathering (Colleen’s hip surgery got moved up!)

Sunday, July 7th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 14th – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 21st – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Service opportunity!
The labyrinth was quite a mess after our recent windstorm! Colleen and Mark cleaned up the more dangerous bigger limbs, but if you want to do a meditative walk AND pick up little twigs strewn about the labyrinth on your peaceful journey, we would welcome your help!

Gratitudes

We are grateful for the opportunity to bring such talented artists to our concert space and to share their music with you! We are grateful for sunshine and flowers!

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”
~ Willie Nelson

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seekers life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.”
~ Sri Chinmoy

“Gratitude for the present moment and the fullness of life now is the true prosperity.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

About Paths of Heart…

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

05/02/202405/03/2024

The Merry, Merry Month of May!

May 5th, 2024

Well, there seems to be more celebrating to do. Cheery May Day with its dancing, singing, flower crowns, and Maypoles was yesterday, Saturday is World Labyrinth Day (come by and walk our Paths of Heart labyrinth if you’re in the area!), and in case you hadn’t heard, Saturday is also World Naked Gardening Day!! Who knew? (Now you do!). May 5th is Cinco de Mayo (and Miss Emma’s birthday!), another occasion for parades, parties, and piñatas. I promise I will get off this kick soon, but really, who doesn’t want to celebrate May? Nature is popping with color and the sun is shining! On May 7, the sun will set past 8 p.m! Sounds like JOY might be our topic – that’s what we’re feelin’! And here’s a quick reminder of the Pierce Pettis concert on Friday, May 10th, followed by his appearance at Paths of Heart on Mother’s Day (more celebrating!). Details below. Oh, almost forgot we’re on ZOOM this Sunday – here’s the link:

Paths of Heart Zoom Gathering
Time: May 5, 2024 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83986452168?pwd=ZmFSQ2hVYldOY202S2tuZkFwZXlNZz09
Meeting ID: 839 8645 2168
Passcode: 373884

Join in the Joy, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“May is the month of expectation, the month of wishes, the month of hope.”
~ Emily Brontë

“Sweet May hath come to love us. Flowers, trees, their blossoms don.”
~ Heinrich Heine

“Then you have to remember to be thankful; but in May one simply can’t help being thankful that they are alive, if for nothing else.”
~ L. M. Montgomery

“May has come in, young May the beautiful, weaving the sweetest chaplet of the year. Along the eastern corridors, she walks. What time the clover rocks the earliest bee. Her feet are flush with sunrise, and her veil floating in breezy odors o’er her hair.”
~ Thomas Buchanan Read

“At last came the golden month of the wild folk– honey-sweet May, when the birds come back, and the flowers come out, and the air is full of the sunrise scents and songs of the dawning year.”
~ Samuel Scoville Jr.

“As nature bursts into life this May, so should your creative and intellectual endeavors…your GENIUS!”
~ Dr. Tracey Bond

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

***Dates subject to change! Please always refer to latest newsletters for latest information and updates***

We have another upcoming house concert, this time with the highly entertaining and talented Pierce Pettis! Friday, May 10th – Doors at 6:30, concert starts at 7 pm. Finger foods and drinks at intermission while you chat with Pierce. Bring something to share if you can. Suggested donation $20.00. Please RSVP, or best yet, pre-pay with paypal https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/ (with Pierce Pettis in the special instructions), or with venmo (type “Pierce Pettis” in “What’s it for?” memo line) https://account.venmo.com/u/PathsofHeart. Learn all about Pierce on his website https://www.piercepettis.com/

Sunday, May 5th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Friday, May 10th – 7 p.m. “Paths of Heart Presents…” Pierce Pettis in concert! As he noted, what alliteration! See above for details and feel free to email or call us with other questions: info@pathsofheart.com or 970-484-9600.

Sunday, May 12th – Mother’s Day, In person Gathering, 10:30 a.m., with Pierce Pettis as our guest musician!

Sunday, May 19th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, May 26th – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with our monthly potluck afterwards

Sunday, June 2nd – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, June 9th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, June 16th – NO Paths of Heart Gathering

Sunday, June 23rd – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, June 30th – (Change in Schedule) NO Paths of Heart Gathering (Colleen’s hip surgery got moved up!)

Sunday, July 7th – ZOOM POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 14th – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 21st – In Person POH Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Please mark your calendars for the above scheduled dates!

Gratitudes

We are grateful for Emma’s and others’ help in our yard and garden as it gets harder for Colleen to do the outside chores she normally loves this time of year! We’re grateful for sunshine and flowers!

What are you grateful for today?

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”
~ Willie Nelson

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart

“Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seekers life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.”
~ Sri Chinmoy

“Gratitude for the present moment and the fullness of life now is the true prosperity.”
~ Eckhart Tolle