Photo by Allef Vinicius on Unsplash We all want to matter. It’s innate for us to want to leave a mark on this world that will have meant something when we’re long gone. For loving parents, having children is often a principal and driving force of their purpose and legacy. I’ve asked so many friends who are parents this question, and many have said their children are their legacy, which always makes total sense to me. My grandmother would have been 114 this past week. I thought about how proud she would be if she could see all that her family is doing, her son and daughter, six granddaughters and seven great grandkids. I can just feel her joy as she watches the active and meaningful lives they’re all living. Her legacy is alive and well, and growing. It got me thinking about the existentialism of legacy, if you don’t... Read more →

How to allow fear to work for you instead of against you. Photo by Stephanie McCabe on Unsplash I think about fear a lot. I mean, at times we all do, right? Lately it's been a very loud companion as I dig deeper into writing my memoir. No matter the situation, whenever it shows up I run the gamut in my relationship with fear. I see it, dread it, fight it, am pissed off at it, run from it, cry with it and am utterly fascinated by it for the never-ending lessons and conversations that derive from it. Recently I listened to Linda Sivertsen's Beautiful Writers Podcast when she and guest co-host, Martha Beck interviewed author Glennon Doyle. They were discussing Glennon's extremely raw bestselling memoir, LOVE WARRIOR, which is sitting next in my Kindle queue. I'm an admirer of all three women and their work. This was a great... Read more →

Photo by Julien Lux on Unsplash It was the umpteenth time I’d driven to Los Angeles International Airport in the nearly 20 years I’ve lived in LA. And, in all those times I’d never taken the route Google Maps took me recently. It was a winding path that led me down streets and through sections of the city that were entirely new to me. Previously I’d stuck to habitual routes, commonly known directions or the straight shot, even when traffic was abominable. I laughed at how often I second-guessed the navigation system, overriding the guidance, thinking I knew better, so that whatever GPS I was following had to constantly recalibrate. So, this time I decided to go with it, even as I retorted to Google: “Really? Are you sure about that?” To which she said, “In 1000 feet, turn left on Crenshaw.” “Okay, let’s see,” I said, still thinking I... Read more →

It often comes when you're not expecting it. At least it did for me. Photo credit: Yoann Boyer It was the middle of the night. The year was 2002. I was tossing and turning, thrashing in and out of the sheets because I alternated between sweating and freezing. No, I wasn’t ill. No, I wasn’t having a hot flash. But, my breath was hot as I sighed, the weight of the world on each exhale. Dark Night of the Soul I’ve come to understand I was having what could be known as a “dark night of the soul.” The origin of this phrase goes back to a 16th century poem by Spanish Poet St. John of the Cross, where the poem narrates "the journey of the soul to mystical union with God." Eckhart Tolle defines it today as, “…a collapse of a perceived meaning in life, an eruption into your... Read more →

By Cindy Yantis A day spent at the Huntington Gardens in Pasadena was more than I expected it to be. It’s arguably one of the most beautiful gardens in the world. I was there recently with my dear friend, Ferrell Marshall, who wanted to go for inspiration. She's currently in the one-woman play "The Belle of Amherst" in which she brilliantly portrays Emily Dickinson. I joined her at the last minute because I had an inexplicable yearning to be outside in that beautiful nature. I felt like a bear reemerging after a long hibernation. Because of Emily Dickinson’s lifelong fascination with roses, we focused particularly on the massive rose garden enlivened with over 1500 rose varieties and hybrids, examples include the Passion Rose, Jump for Joy Rose, Exquisite Rose and the Marilyn Monroe & John F Kennedy Roses, which with a stroke of garden humor were placed next to each... Read more →

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving as the last Thursday of the month and from then on it was an annual tradition. His declaration was stated during our nation’s civil war and the underlying message is so apropos today. “It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise… And I recommend to them that… they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become… sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which... Read more →

Utterances by their very nature are often said in passing, not meant to stick around, not meant to be given weight. An utterance is defined simply as “a smallest unit of speech.” And, stringing together a series of utterances constitutes a complete thought, whether it’s our side of a conversation or an improvised speech at a podium or simple off-the-cuff observations. We often don’t give much mind to our daily utterances. But, we should. A word. It’s such a small elemental thing. But, can have such a tremendous impact. It’s the impact that lingers, has weight and sticks around for as long as the impact has an effect on someone. Words matter. And, it’s not just in this day and age of the fast moving Internet, where words travel at the speed of a Tweet and Retweet. The truth is words secure history. They define things like character and reputation... Read more →

Someone recently said they were feeling down in the dumps. I could relate. I’ve definitely been down in there too. Most of us have at one time or another. Down in the dumps. What does that actually mean? It’s so colloquial that the meaning is different for everyone. It's used for describing a myriad of feelings: sad, disappointed, sick, mournful, regretful, wanting. It certainly equates a state of mind or being. What’s actually down there in those dumps? If the dumps are different for everyone, are they a reflection and creation of the beholder, self-imposed and self-decorated? So I started thinking, if the veritable dumps are a creation from self, then perhaps there's a way to redecorate, reframe and rewrite the dumps. Perhaps they could be a place of reflection, of self-examination. Perhaps there could be some treasure to arise from the doldrum. Sometimes retelling or rewriting a scene can... Read more →

Here are a few things to ponder this weekend... 1. Talk about a bucket list! Best get started now! Check these out... 2. For Lit Junkies... Check out these very cool te es. You can wear your favorite story. Really. The entire text of the book is on the tee. I'm thinking WIZARD OF OZ! Litographs 3. Interesting Read: Brain Pickings is one of more interesting blogs out there. Writer Maria Popova dives intensely into a topic and captures it richly. Her "subjective lens on what matters in the world and why." It's definitely one of my regular reads. 4. Watch & Choose: It's Pilot Season on Amazon and they're letting us help choose their next original series. You watch the three finalist pilot episodes and then vote. It's fun to be part of the process. I have my favorite. Which is yours? 5. Quote to ponder: "The meaning of... Read more →

When Simone Biles nearly fell off the balance beam, I know I was part of a global collective gasp. It was only a split second, but it could have been enough to trash the rest of her routine (it would have for most of us!). But, what happened next was such the mark of the champion that she is. She shook it off. Sure, maybe she rehashed the moment later, perhaps over and over again. I know I would have. But, my guess is she didn't. Perhaps she reviewed it briefly with her coach, but then the focus turned to her final event the next night. And, again it was so clear that she held no residual regrets, because as we all know, she nailed her spectacular floor routine and won Olympic gold. In fact, all through the Games, there are two things successful competitors and champions have in common.... Read more →