French Crepes and artwork in San Francisco
September 28, 2008
Three Women by Armelle Gourvennec
About the restaurant. . .
“This Mission staple has three whitewashed, stucco-and-wood dining rooms decorated with photos from old Brittany. There’s seating at serpentine counters, as well as tables. French expatriate and owner Sylvie Lemer bases her menu on classic Breton recipes. Thin buckwheat crepes are folded in big flat squares around dozens of fillings, from a simple butter and cheese to ham and Gruyere. Sweet crepes include fruit, sauce and ice cream combinations.” –CitySearch staff
I suggest that two people order one savory and one dessert crepe to share, as they are filling. Have fun!
Gail Brokaw
http://www.embracethepossibility.org
The Times They Are a Changing
September 14, 2008
The old message The Times They Are a Changing rings so true today. Democrats and Republicans, Obama and McCain, Biden and Palin are all talking a good talk about making changes. And lord knows we certainly need to make changes in this society whether it is in our politics, our global environment, our education system, our healthcare system or individual rights. This song sung by Peter, Paul and Mary from the past is as relevant as it was when it was first produced and gives me goose bumps just listening to the strength and passion in their voices. This is one way that they try to inspire others to make positive changes in our world. It reminds me that I need to continue in my own way to make changes as an individual to make my little corner of the world a better place. It’s not always an easy task, but it’s something I’m committed to. We can hope that our political leaders will make good choices that will affect appropriate change, but it’s really up to each one of us to make some change, in whatever way we can, at the individual level to make our world a better place.
Simple everyday ways to make change are there at your fingertips.
Support a friend or coworker that needs encouragement.
Make your employer aware of areas that need improvement and do what you can to bring about that needed change.
Do what you can to make your home more environmentally friendly.
Get involved in local politics.
Help build or improve community resources.
Create artwork or music to open people’s minds and start a new thought process.
Educate your children to think creatively to solve problems rather than just wait for adults to give them the answers.
What else can you think of that might inspire the rest of us to take action to create positive change in our lives and in our community?
http://www.wecansolveit.org/ We Can Solve the Environmental Problems
http://www.usaweekend.com/diffday/index.html October 25 is Make a Difference Day
http://www.voa.org/ Volunteers of America
Gail Brokaw
http://www.embracethepossibility.org
You CAN make the change you want in your life!
Celtic Cross and Life Balance- Sacred Life Sunday
September 1, 2008
Island of Iona, Scotland
Iona is a beautiful, small speck of an Island off the western coast of Scotland 3 miles long and 1 mile wide with 2000 acres in total area. http://www.isle-of-iona.com/ This is where Joan Anderson traveled to connect with the spirit and her heritage. While there, she visits an artist in his studio. He is hand carving Celtic Crosses. She asks him about the significance of the circle in the center of all the Celtic Crosses. He responds that the circle is where all opposites come together. It is a stabilizing element for the cross. He further explains that another thought some have is that the circle “represents mother – the woman – who holds it all together.” I, like Joan, am interested in crosses, not for their religious significance but for the beauty of the art that can be a representation of crossroads. 
Haven’t we all been at a crossroad at least a few times in our lives? We have had times to make choices, set a new direction or take advantage of a new opportunity. I see the circle in the cross as a representation of something that holds our life together as we take different directions and new paths. The circle not only holds together, but brings together different elements in our life. It’s a powerful symbol.
For me, the four main directions that need connecting and balancing are relationships (family and friends), work, spirit and creativity. I need to remain aware of each point in my cross (life) and find time to connect each to the other and continue to maintain the balance that feels good to me.
What is the crossroad you are facing right now? What helps you hold the major points of your life together?
Gail Brokaw, MA, CC
http://www.embracethepossibility.org
lifecoach@embracethepossibility.org
You CAN make the change you want in your life!
Discovering new paths
March 27, 2008
This last weekend I walked with a couple of friends in a beautiful wooded area near the local lake. I found an easy hike since we don’t do this regularly, and we headed out for a walk hoping to find sign posts along the way for direction. None of us knew where we were going. We dodged poison oak, enjoyed spring wildflowers, and made choices about the way to go as we approached a fork in the path with no clear direction. We hoped it would take us where we were heading. We found the lake, and along the way made friends with a woman and her dog, who was having a blast retrieving a stick from the lake over and over again. Such joy and energy! The temperature was just perfect to be out in nature, the quiet was refreshing and we actually saw some wild turkeys and heard a few birds singing above our heads. We had a great time visiting, talking about future vacations and just laughing. It was a great day. On our way back from the lake, we took a path that lead us to a different destination than the one we wanted. We received differing advice from fellow hikers about how to get to our destination. Of our choices, we decided to take the quicker but steeper path up the hill. I couldn’t help but see the similarities of our hike with the path we take during our lives. We start down our path with no specific map telling us which fork in the road to take along the way. We try to dodge things that are not good for us, find friends and happy experiences along the way, receive lots of suggestions from others telling us which way to go, and sometimes take the trail that involves a struggle but sure feels good when we’re successful. It helps to keep your wits about you, have friends and supporters close, and listen to the voice inside, telling you which path seems right for you. Enjoy the journey.
Gail Brokaw, Life Coach You CAN create the change you want in your life.
Hello world!
March 7, 2008
Welcome to my blog. Let’s create a place where women can discuss what’s on our mind and in our hearts. Let’s dialog!
After listening to Eckhart Tolle last night I was reminded of a time in my life when it was so much easier to be present, still, and appreciative. I believe as children we are more likely to have an inherent ability to just “be”, to just enjoy the moment and not let all the internal voices of shoulds and coulds get in the way of appreciating the moment we are in. I remember, as a child, laying in the grass and watching the clouds in the sky, or laying face down and looking at the grass and any little bugs that might crawl through my field of vision. Time was meaningless. I just was in the moment. I was very fortunate to live in the country and have time to myself to make mud pies and decorate them with leaves and twigs. I could build forts or outdoor rooms (still love to do that to this day) or just swing and think. Sounds so luxurious now. What a great way to grow up.
As I aged, it seemed that more and more responsibilities and things I wanted to accomplish began to get in my way of finding that stillness and awareness of present moment. Too much time was spent worrying about the future or rethinking the past. Now, I’m back to finding more opportunities to just take a few minutes, notice the world around me, and appreciate everything that I have and everything that I am able to do. It makes such a big difference in my day and amplifies the positive in everything. Every sunset reminds me of how fortunate I am to be alive and witness this beauty around me.
What are your experiences with realizing the stillness, the sacred, the awareness in yourself ?
Gail Brokaw http://www.embracethepossibility.org
You CAN create the change you want in your life.
