It is hard to explain what it's like to have your father take his final breath right in your arms and collapse into lifelessness. Death for my father came fiercely and unexpectedly, yet in the embrace of his family with words like "I've got you, I've got you, you're not alone in this," there was and always will be tremendous and powerful grace. For me, this shocking event took place September 18th, 2011 around 1:15pm in the home of my father who had terminal lung cancer. With open arms he was embraced by his family, just as he embraced life itself.

As a counselor and coach, I have the humble fortune of getting to know the deep recesses of a person's mind, the emotional longings of the human heart, and our ideal dreams for the future. In that rawness, I get to see that at our core none of us really wish to suffer, and all of us just want to be at peace, and be happy; and I don't think that's too much to ask. 

But what is this peace we seek? What does it even feel like? How will we know when we've found it? Will we begin to glow or something? Will cosmic rays rain in from the heavens? No, but that would certainly be interesting. ;)

I'll give you a hint, peace is wherever war and the struggle with life is at an end. Truly it's not find-able, purchase-able, attainable, or conquer-able. It's always (and all-ways) right where you are standing, right here in this moment, in every breath.  Here are a few concepts that might help "awaken" peace in your life. I hope this serves you.