My only memory from kindergarten is playing musical chairs during a class party. Two rows of chairs had been placed back-to-back down the middle of the classroom. Dozens of parents stood against the walls, encircling the chairs.

With Mother’s Day weekend upon us, I’m sharing selected excerpts and writing prompts from an article Laura Davis and I wrote for Spirituality & Health magazine four years ago. These prompts—whether written out or simply reflected upon—are a great way to vividly access deep or forgotten memories.

I don’t believe I ever threw a tantrum while I was growing up. According to my mother, I was a “good” child, perfectly behaved, which she said made me easy to love.

I got to know my cousin Mel Black better after he died than I ever had while he was alive. When he passed suddenly last December, stories began pouring in—stories that revealed dimensions of him I had only glimpsed. Mel had been married to my husband’s first cousin, Joni Goodman, for forty-five years, but we lived on opposite sides of the country.

Today I’m happy to share an article I wrote for Spirituality & Health magazine featuring some of the deep wisdom and powerful practices I learned from Andrew Holecek at a workshop at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California.  

In January, I participated in Suleika Jaouad’s 30-day New Year’s journaling project where she sent out a new writing prompt every morning. Some I pondered for a minute or so, while others inspired me to start writing right away.