Writing about love and deepening my ability to express the centrality of love to life itself is a goal I set for myself in retirement. Influenced by grace and serendipity, I had an unexpected awakening to how creativity and deep listening advance love and healing, while attending the annual American Library Association conference in Washington […]

A recent trip to Lisieux deepened my understanding of Therese of the Little Flower and her spirituality. I was surprised and delighted with what she had to teach me – about surrender and faith and about persistence in learning how to be an anti-racist in America. While I have been involved in work for social […]

Rose Mary Dougherty, in her days leading groups at Shalem, had a favorite parable she came back to often. With her charming Irish smile, she would ask: “Why do the antelope walk side by side in the jungle?” And after letting that settle for a short moment, she would answer: “So they can blow the […]

A byproduct of living a long life is I have come to accept the coming and going of faith. I have accepted that part of the essence of believing is to sometimes doubt and not believe. Like many of life’s bigger questions, when I gave up the struggle, the journey became more interesting. And the […]

by Tom Adams Recently I was at a dinner with a mix of friends and acquaintances. In the midst of the discussion, someone was talking about how to get into Canada without going through Customs. Once you make it, you are a refugee and given all kinds of support and benefits. A friend I didn’t […]

Today’s blog is by Tom Adams Sometimes I find it very difficult to appreciate and accept how much God loves me and you. The world seems kind of gloomy; my own and others’ imperfections seem to shout at me. Other times I get a glimpse of the tenderness and sweetness of God’s love and am […]

Today’s post is by Tom Adams At lunch at the Gerald May seminar, Compassion of the Mystics, I was at a table where 12-Step meetings and recovery were being discussed. Having been a student and beneficiary of 12-Step groups for over 30 years, my ears perked up. A lunch table friend was describing how someone […]

Today’s post is by Tom Adams I was eager to attend the Gerald May Seminar on the Compassion of the Mystics with Bernard McGinn. Since embracing the practice of centering prayer a couple of years ago, my interest in love and how love grows has been front and center. I figured compassion and love were […]

Today’s post is by Tom Adams There is no deeper intimacy than hearts united in a desire to be with God and each other in prayer. Group spiritual direction is for me a unique and no-fail opportunity to experience that intimacy and to grow in love. The love that develops among strangers in group spiritual […]

Today’s post is by Tom Adams Four guys headed out on a walk, a long walk. Two of the guys wanted to go; two others had to be convinced it was a good idea. One was a seasoned hiker and was physically ready. The others did their best to “train” and approached the walk with […]

Today’s post is by Tom Adams. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Read part 1 here. The opportunity to feel and to grieve added new energy and opportunity to embrace God’s love and trust in it. In 2014 I transitioned from leading a small consulting company to being a manager in a bigger […]

Today’s post is by Tom Adams. This is part one of a two-part article. Part two will appear next Friday. Like the fields, my heart has times when it is fallow and times when it bursts with new life. These growth spurts seem to come from life’s challenges and from pain. They come with a […]