There are times in our lives when it’s difficult to accept an outcome. The implications raise scenarios in our heads that fill us with fear. A presidential election is one of those times. The issues we vote on reflect our highest concerns: health, jobs, safety, family, and freedom. We are highly invested in getting what we need to survive. So when it comes to electing a president, we search for a candidate whose stated values align with our own. Each of us has one vote, but when all the ballots are tallied, the majority rules. Did the candidate you prefer win? Is President-elect Trump your candidate of choice?  Whether the answer is yes or no, the next question remains the same. Now what?

When something excites my funny bone, spontaneous laughter fills me with delight. And there’s nothing as bonding as sharing a good laugh. Just looking at this Smiling Buddha makes me smile. But humor is unpredictable; there may be a vast difference between what I find funny, and what makes you giggle. So I'm taking the risk of giving you some "ho hum" moments in the hope of exercising your smile muscles once or twice.

These are the glorious autumn days of October, my birthday month. I grew up in Canada where the sugar maples put on a striking display of color as the leaves turn from green to exquisite shades of red, orange, and yellow, before floating to the ground as they surrender to the inevitability of numbing winter frosts. Ever wonder why? It's a collaborative expression of survival.

Sometimes words aren't what we want, and only a hug will do. Here's an embrace filled with understanding, presence, and peace.