By Marguerite Jill Dye “The most traumatic part of being a refugee for me was the loss of our home, our village, and being torn from the place where I grew up that I knew and loved,” Walter Hess said at our dining room table. An attentive audience had gathered to hear Walter and his…

By Marguerite Jill Dye One might assume the mind-body connection would be obvious once we become ill, but sometimes we’re too busy chasing symptoms to see their significance in our lives. Louise Hay’s book, “You Can Heal Your Life,” lists ailments with their emotional roots. It provides deep insights into how our minds and emotions…

By Marguerite Jill Dye History repeats itself. That’s why it must never be forgotten. History is in the making due to the administration’s “zero tolerance” policy that separated thousands of children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexican border. It is a cruel injustice and human rights abuse against our Constitution and international law. It will…

By Marguerite Jill Dye “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around,” Willie Nelson wrote. Who’d ever imagine how great the power of gratitude is? Just making a list for a couple of weeks of two or more experiences we’re grateful for each day boosts our energy, enthusiasm, determination, and alertness for more…

By Marguerite Jill Dye “The truth is, everyone is just one bad day away from needing accessible options the ADA requires to help them get around,” said Sen. Tammy Duckworth. Across the country and in Vermont, the disabled are struggling for accessibility, housing, and services. With added cuts in Medicaid, Medicare, ACA, and affordable housing,…

By Marguerite Jill Dye A family friend of 60 years responded to my open letter to Pope Francis, printed in last week’s Mountain Times. She sent me a beautiful message in response to my comments that “America has lost its compassion for the suffering” and that my hope is “nearly gone.” She offered a way of…

By Marguerite Jill Dye (Her 100th Column!) Your Holiness, Although I believe we’ve never met in person, I feel as if I know you. Our lives overlapped for a time in Buenos Aires when you were the Superior of the Society of the Jesuits and I served as a mission intern for the Board of Global…

By Marguerite Jill Dye Butterflies danced among blackberry bushes, reminding me of the butterfly effect used by shamans worldwide to transport themselves to other places as a healing tool. Robins passed by with nest-building materials and a hummingbird perched above my head. Then the world came to a stop when a goldfinch flew into our…

By Marguerite Jill Dye Living life’s passions brings such joy. Sharing them is even better. It deepens relationships and expands our hearts. My husband Duane has a passion for trains, which helps compensate for a childhood lack, but some passions are passed down for generations and arise from fond memories or early dreams. Dad’s love…

By Marguerite Jill Dye Those of you who grew up in the Green Mountains of Vermont or other wilderness areas may take certain things for granted, but when I found bear poop just outside our bedroom window, I was excited and beside myself. As a Jersey girl and weekend Vermonter, I grew up helping Dad build…

By Marguerite Jill Dye Perched on the deck this shimmering hour, hummingbirds hum and songbirds sing. Pico and Killington peek through the trees as sunlight illuminates chartreuse spring leaves. The peace on the deck contrasts sharply with the chaos I’ve created inside. A decluttering tornado has just passed through. Plastic bins’ contents of keepsakes and…

By Marguerite Jill Dye Sometimes we just need to click “pause” to escape from the craziness of everyday life. Full schedules, obligations, media, and events cause many to live in constant distraction. But when we take a few minutes within, our inner nature reveals itself. Pushing the pause button gives us the time to turn experiences…

By Marguerite Jill dye One of our greatest modern day challenges is finding ways to escape chaos and noise. The Finnish Tourist Board released “Silence, Please,” under a series of wilderness photos, each with a solitary figure. “With noise pollution the world round, finding silence is a rare thing,” VisitFinland.com states. “No talking, but action,”…

By Marguerite Jill Dye After a big family Mother’s Day Dinner, Mom started to scrub lots of Corning. Said the children, “It’s your day. You shouldn’t wash dishes! Just rinse, and do them in the morning.” From “A Smile, a Chuckle, or a Loud Guffaw or What Happened When I Wasn’t Looking?” This poem in…

A little poem I wrote in my 20s still holds true today: A Walk, Just a Walk A walk, just a walk, without destination, not hampered by unhappiness, or pressured by time. A walk, just a walk, that exercised thought, shared a smile, and amused a pup. A walk, just a walk, that awakened memory,…