SCS Matters « Yellow Brick Road: Your Path to Heart & Health

Sunshine, Sidewalks and Cul de sacs

By Debra Basham, on January 1, 2025

One of the most wonderful things about being a snowbird is winter biking — New Year’s Day riding in low wind with clear skies is heavenly. Thankful for sidewalks. Especially thankful for all of the benefits of being either in a canal community or an intentional residential community designed where there are cul de sacs.

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Shame: One Hell of an Emotion

By Debra Basham, on December 30, 2024

An early morning phone call with a friend focused on shame. Her shocking statement was about being sick of feeling shame and the decision to not look at it, work with it, but to just be done with it. She decided to just say F&@K it…. if you know what she means.

I mentioned […]

Stand Wherever I am to be Blessed

By Debra Basham, on December 28, 2024

Sometimes I need only to stand wherever I am to be blessed. ~ Mary Oliver

As we have nights with no cockroach sightings we began the conversation about how we will know when it is safe for us to stop the vigilant lifestyle of keeping everything in snap tight storage bins or Ziplock bags. As […]

The Power of Love: Gecko and Cockroach

By Debra Basham, on December 7, 2024

The following article, titled “Athleticism,” was written, proof-read (by my amazing beta reader, Linda Comerford) and submitted many (MANY) weeks ago. It was scheduled to be published in our local newspaper today, December 7, 2024. The email containing the article either was not received, or it was received and misplaced or deleted because it was […]

Wicked: Part One

By Debra Basham, on November 28, 2024

“Some things I cannot change, but ’til I try I’ll never know.” ~ Elphaba, in Wicked

Becky O’Brien’s review on Cinelix gave high praise for the film version: “Having seen the film, I can’t imagine any of the songs not being there, everything feels integral to the story, and that can be attributed to the […]

Switch to a Different Puzzle

By Debra Basham, on November 17, 2024

I woke up this morning with Don Williams’ title line of his song reverberating in my head, “I Wouldn’t Want to Live if You Didn’t Love Me”.

The mind worm of the refrain was a likely result of yesterday’s conversation that turned stressful with my daughter, Stacey. We are in Tennessee with her spending […]

A Different World

By Debra Basham, on November 15, 2024

“In every age no matter how cruel the oppression carried on by those in power, there have been those who struggled for a different world. I believe this is the genius of humankind, the thing that makes us half Divine — the fact that some human beings can envision a world that has never existed.” […]

How Now Shall We Live

By Debra Basham, on November 4, 2024

On October 17, 2024, a dharma sister sent an email sharing about a free on Youtube documentary titled “Living in the Time of Dying” a film by Michael Shaw that is 53 minutes and 31 seconds on the ‘how then shall we live’ about the climate crisis, but also about so much more.

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The Perfect Week for a Retreat

By Debra Basham, on October 13, 2024

I leave for Holly, Michigan, where I will attend a silent meditation retreat titled “Remembering our Awakened Essence” with Barbara Brodsky and John Orr from Deep Spring Center for Meditation, and sangha sisters and brothers from all over the world. The retreat will be held at The Maryville Retreat Center. This week Barbara’s husband, Hal, […]

Milton’s Mayhem and Message

By Debra Basham, on October 9, 2024

Last evening we had dinner with two long-time friends. One friend lost her winter home on Pine Island two years ago to Hurricane Ian. As Hurricane Milton is crossing the Gulf of Mexico right now barrelling toward Florida we have friends who are year-round on the island. It felt good for us to gather here […]

Yellow Brick Road: Your Path to Heart & Health