Block | Karen Casey

Circle of Family and Friends - You and Your Personal Community, Karen's Musings

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December 4, 2011

The spirit of the holidays has captured my heart already.

Many of my friends dread this time of year. Holidays were painful in many families, for sure. I've talked about this topic in the past, both the bright side of the holidays as well as the painful side, I know; but I feel called in my work to talk about changing[...]

Circle of Family and Friends - You and Your Personal Community, Karen's Musings, What I Believe - You and Your Higher Power

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November 22, 2011

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. . .

I am so glad we are approaching the holiday season. I know not everyone is. Many of my friends dread it because it brings up bad memories. I have a lot of lousy memories from my past too but none of them cling to the revelry my family enjoyed around the holiday[...]

Karen's Musings, What I Believe - You and Your Higher Power

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November 15, 2011

The passing of a friend leaves a hole in one’s heart. . .

Within the past few weeks, three friends have died. The first one was the elderly mother of my best friend. I had known her for many years, of course. And while it was true that she had many health challenges, and deserved to be quietly at peace; it was still[...]

Circle of Family and Friends - You and Your Personal Community, Karen's Musings

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November 10, 2011

Connecting with others is the pathway to sanity. . .

My husband and I just returned to our winter residence in Florida. Each time we have made this trek south, I have done so with mixed feelings. I love MN. I feel very attached to both family and friends there. I got sober there. Met my husband there. My sp[...]

Circle of Family and Friends - You and Your Personal Community

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October 31, 2011

Family ties are the sweetest when one opens the heart.

I just returned from a four day visit with my siblings. My two older sisters and I joined my brother and his wife in Phoenix. It was perfect in every way. There was a time in my life when I would not have relished a visit such as this, primarily because the[...]

Karen's Musings, What I Believe - You and Your Higher Power

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October 24, 2011

Another friend passes . . .

My husband and I received very sad news over the week end about the passing of another good friend. Tom was in long-term recovery. In fact, he had just celebrated 32 years of sobriety. I last saw him a few weeks ago at our party for Joe's 70th birthday. Jo[...]

Circle of Family and Friends - You and Your Personal Community, Reflections in the Mirror - You and Yourself

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October 16, 2011

Finding joy in the ordinary. . .

This is not the first post about joy that I have recently written. It's on my mind because of the seminars I do, the books I write and my own daily commitment to living joyfully. Obviously I believe it's attainable; and yet I know many who seldom express joy[...]

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October 9, 2011

Seeking the silence is a true gift. . .

I spent a few days this past week enjoying a silent retreat at the Benedictine Center in Maplegrove, MN . In fact, the retreat was more than enjoyable. It was a blissful experience. I had gone to many retreats in my lifetime and have led even more retreats t[...]

Circle of Family and Friends - You and Your Personal Community

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September 29, 2011

Joy is a decision. Isn’t it?

I am facilitating a workshop in St. Paul, MN with a friend and colleague, Bill Alexander, on October 22nd, just a few weeks from now. Our topic is joy so I have thought about it a lot lately. The full title of the workshop is Cultivating Joy in our Relationship[...]

What I Believe - You and Your Higher Power

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September 22, 2011

Joy is the by-product of kindness. . . Isn’t it?

I have quoted Mother Teresa on many occasions, here and elsewhere. She expressed so many wonderful hints for peaceful living. Using her words as guideposts for a life well lived would make sense, on the very personal level and certainly on the global level in t[...]