No Worries Atoll
5° 53′ 15″ N, 162° 05′ 13” W. Plug in these GPS coordinates, and you will arrive at Palmyra Atoll, one of the Line Islands in the Pacific Ocean. It is 967 nautical miles south of Honolulu and 1,497 miles north of American Samoa. This uninhabited jewel is the only
Abracadabra Day
When my kids were little, we had a family tradition of Abracadabra Days. They were each entitled to one day in the fall semester and one in the spring to wake up and declare that they would take the day off from school. Maybe they needed more sleep. Maybe they
Healthy Planet, Healthy People
Planet Earth. Home sweet home for almost eight billion people. This past Thursday we celebrated with our annual Earth Day, and our week was filled with related news and programs. The beautiful images and extraordinary stories about mother nature were fabulous. The many reminders of the existential threat of climate
Wisdom from the Hives
I can’t wait to see my honeybees. They have been clustered in their hives through the winter. With the arrival of some sunny March days, they are beginning to take flight from their winter huddle to scope out the world anew. This transition from winter to spring makes the dwindling
Longing
About this time of year, many moons ago, I tiptoed out of my apartment in the dark of night to leave the urban sprawl of Tokyo on a quest. I was answering the beckoning call of Mt. Fuji. This iconic and majestic mountain rises 3776 meters above sea level and
Challah
With more of us at home and less frequent trips to the grocery store since we have been sheltering in place, Friday has become a day for challah making (not just eating) in my family. Different members of our pod have taken turns each week. As my great niece and
Mental Health in our Gardens
Like many of you, I have been spending more time in the garden this year. Planting lavender everywhere, giving tomatoes one more try, and even experimenting with corn. I am not sure about the corn since our dog, Nike, has decided the leaves make for a delicious afternoon snack, but
Women On My Mind
This Sunday is Mother’s Day. At the time of this writing, Coronavirus accounts for 274,651 deaths globally. And this week, my honeybees are buzzing. The unexpected intersections of Mother’s Day, COVID-19, and honeybees bring together themes that move me to awe and prompt me to share five musings about women
Sakura 2020
Sakura (桜) is the Japanese word for cherry trees and their blossoms. But the word means so much more than that. With just one word, the Japanese are talking about the beauty of nature, the renewal of spring, and the ephemeral quality of life. The cherry tree at our family home is
Mental Health and Climate Change
Last Friday, several members of our Global Mental Health Programs joined an estimated 300,000 people to participate in the Global Climate Strike in Foley Square. One of over 2,500 events held in over 163 countries on all seven continents. Over 4 million people participated in The Global Climate Strikes around
Summer Vacation: Reads to Inspire Your Imagination
Today marks the last day of a two-week vacation with my family. Three generations together among great tortoises and blue footed boobies in the Galapagos and cattle and condors in the Andes. It was a trip of a lifetime. It was also a vacation with lots of quiet time for
Imagine
Last week, my family moved to the west side of Central Park. A whole new perspective on the same fabulous park. The new neighborhood is great, and now our dog walking route takes us through Strawberry Fields: the 2.5-acre area of Central Park that pays tribute to John Lennon. The
