What 3 G’s can do for you!

During a Tuesday morning meeting I try never to miss, I was astonished to note the intimacy that has developed between attendees. Many live in or near Kansas City, MO, others in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and one in Portland, Oregon. As far as I’m concerned, they reside in little Zoom squares.  

I have never met them in their physical form but feel I know each of them quite well.  I think it’s because, after a brief period of meditation, we discuss waking up in all its forms. This week our topic was the 3 G’s – but first I want to spotlight the woman who presented the 3 G’s. A woman who inspires me every week with her friendliness and depth.

Let me introduce Karen Chapman who was especially vibrant this week. After months of staying home during the Pandemic, she noticed that the holes for her pierced earrings were closing up. She figured out why. Karen is the type of person who is kind enough to alert others who have pierced ears to this side effect of COVID 19 that the newspapers weren’t reporting.


Karen speaks about how a setback may be asking us to step back. She especially inspires me when she describes sitting in a lawn chair in front of her garage early every morning. She watches and listens as planes go overhead and much to my surprise, says she enjoys that, despite the fact that it disturbs the silence, silence being the main reason she drags herself out of bed to take vigil in the cold dark morning.

This week she mentioned that three words kept showing up in her reading of Pema Chodron, Jay Shetty, Rick Hanson and in fond memories of her late father-in-law. The fact that they all began with G made it easier for her to remember. Are you ready for Karen’s words?

  Gratitude. Generosity. Gentleness.

The group discussed them. Each person spoke with a directness that let you know they were risking saying something new. Not just parroting what they have heard or said before.

Let me know if you want more information about this group and I’ll see what I can find out. In the meantime, practice gratitude, generosity, and gentleness. And as Karen would say – be sure to practice gentleness towards yourself.

Thanks for reading and commenting.



IMAGE: Give yourself a pat on the back if you found the two G’s in the image – Guardian & Garbage!