What We Learn From Family: From My Talk in Monaco

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Eileen

UntitledLast week I had the honor of speaking before several hundred leading entrepreneurs from around the world at a conference organized by Ernst & Young. It was held in Monaco, in the beautiful city of Monte Carlo. I talked about the role of philanthropy in keeping families together.  This subject may not appear to be as universally germane as most of my posts, but I will argue otherwise by turning the subject around, from philanthropy to family.    Continue reading →

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Unconditional Love

Posted on June 2, 2015 by Eileen

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I’ve been thinking lately about unconditional love, the quality of acceptance which everyone seeks, but is sometimes hard to find. I discovered this week that it exists all around us; we just have to know how to look. Continue reading →

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Altruism and Longevity: My Father’s Example

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Eileen

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Evidence of the impact of altruism on health and longevity has never been more clear to me than last Friday, when my father donated 1,000 acres of his land around Little Long Pond to the Mount Desert Island Land and Garden Preserve. My family and I had kept his intended gift as a surprise from the public until this past weekend, when it was announced as an early celebration of his 100th birthday on June 12th.
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The Next Revolution in Health Care?

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Eileen

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I had the honor of speaking yesterday at a Summit at The Cleveland Clinic dedicated to “Patient Experience: Empathy + Innovation.” The 2,200 people attending were comprised of executives and administrators, doctors, nurses and alternative caregivers. I relished the opportunity to talk before such a brilliant and caring audience about a subject dear to my heart: the impact of mind/body interactions on health and healing.
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Persistence

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Eileen

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When was the last time you pushed yourself to do something hard? Do you remember how you wanted to stop, or take a break? But you kept going because it meant something to you to finish, to accomplish what you set out to do. That’s what the little girl in this video demonstrates so beautifully: Continue reading →

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Hold The Anchovies!

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Eileen

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Humor can save you from drowning. I found the following story in a journal entry shortly after Paul and I had dinner with friends to celebrate his birthday.
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Listening for Peepers

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Eileen

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(Image courtesy of Discovery News)

It’s that time of year again when the call of peepers entices my ear with their full-throated mating chorus. They are my favorite sound of spring. Unfortunately, I no longer hear them from home as I used to.  Continue reading →

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Just Breathe

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Eileen

image1A wise man once told me it’s important to breathe to your lung’s fullest capacity everyday. Deep breath exercises the vital muscle of one’s lungs. This is different from the gentle, concentrated breath of meditation, but both are important.  One is to trim the body; the other is to trim the mind.
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Spring Turnover

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Eileen

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Yesterday, as I was out walking with a friend, I heard ice crystals for the first time. With a little wind, the 5” melting slabs moving against one another will tinkle like wind chimes as they pile against each other in up-thrust layers.   Continue reading →

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Zoom!

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Eileen

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This past week has seen both Passover and Easter. These holidays remind me to think about renewal, rebirth and awe. A few days before Passover I saw a hummingbird feeding its young. I marveled at the speed of its flight and delicacy of the nest. It filled me with awe. I want to share excerpts from a beautiful prose poem, by Brian Doyle.
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