The customer waves me over. Sizing me up he says: you’re new here, aren’t you? No, I say, almost a year. Hmmm, don’t know ya, but that’s okay, got something to tell ya. My name’s John. I nod as he settles into his story. You see, I was sitting outside my porch the other day […]
Author Archives: Jo-Ann Svensson
The Orchid: A Tale of Hope and Trust
On Marine Drive, one block past Capilano Road, is a sign: Hope Road Closed. The street in question has not been open for years yet the sign always makes me smile. It reminds me of Anne Clark’s old song, Hope Road, which concludes with the line: There was no place called Hope Road. I remember […]
Conscious Creativity
Have you ever been asked what ten books you would take to a deserted island? I tend to compose answers to this even when not prompted—the joy of musing over well-loved treasures is, for me, a wellspring of pleasure. A more difficult question, however, is what would I take if it could only be one […]
The Power of No
I was thinking about the word ‘no’ the other day. That is, the no you use to set up boundaries … then again, is there any other way to use it? No, to more ice cream; no, to unwelcome advances; and no, to those I-just-don’t-wanna moments. I especially love the no that comes from toddlers. […]
Heaven or Hell: A Matter of Choice
Recently, due to a desire to increase my bank account, I took on employment as a part-time cashier. It is the kind of job I needed: one that could be left behind at the worksite while still giving me time to write and continue seeing my BodyMind clients. I didn’t expect or want much else: […]