Category: Newsletter

weekly newsletter

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Father’s Day

June 15th 2025

We hope you’ll join us in sharing some Father’s Day wisdom, funny stories, poignant stories, who you looked up to as a father figure, and the joys and perhaps sorrows that come up for you on this day. We are excited for our guest musician, Marc Douglas Berardo to serenade you with his deeply moving songs. And we hope you’ll come back at 2 p.m. when Marc will perform a concert for us! As we’ll need some down time between our gathering and the concert, we won’t have our usual potluck, but we WILL have a snack/finger food potluck sharing at the concert’s intermission. Suggested donation is $20-25 (all proceeds always go to our traveling musicians). See below for additional information. See ya Sunday!

Father’s Day Blessings to you, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder


“Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, story-tellers, and singers of song.”
~ Pam Brown

“I love my father as the stars – he’s a bright shining example and a happy twinkling in my heart.”
~ Terri Guillemets

“Having children is like living in a frat house. Nobody sleeps, everything’s broken and there’s a lot of throwing up.”
~ Ray Romano

“When I was a kid, I said to my father one afternoon, Daddy, will you take me to the zoo? He answered, if the zoo wants you, let them come and get you.”
~ Jerry Lewis

“By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he’s wrong.”
~ Charles Wadsworth

“The greatest thing a father can do for his children is love their mother.”
~ Anjaneth Garcia Untalan

“When all the dust is settled and the crowds are gone, the things that matter are faith, family, and friends.”
~ Barbara Bush

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Sunday, June 15th – In person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with guest musician, Marc Douglas Berardo.  Marc will also perform a concert here at Paths at 2 p.m., and will perhaps have a bass player joining him!  Suggested donation is $20-25 and we’ll have a snack/finger food potluck at intermission.  Bring something to share if you’d like, and a beverage of choice. Check out Marc’s music at  https://marcdouglas.com/
Please rsvp for the concert to info@pathsofheart.org or by calling 970-484-9600. You can also secure your seat by pre-paying at Paypal: https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/ (with “Marc concert” in the special instructions)
or with Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/PathsofHeart (again with “Marc concert” in the “what’s it for?” spot).  We hope you’ll join us!

Sunday, June 29th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 13th, 10:30 a.m. – In person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 27th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations as we continue to bolster our finances and return to regular Sunday gatherings. During the pandemic, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart. Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible!

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

We are grateful for the rain that helped us ease into being back home without adding the task of watering a bunch! Now we’re in planting mode (a tad late) and love adding colorful flowers and veggie starts to our front and backyard palette.

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
~ Nishan Panwar

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
~ Anthony Robbins

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
~ Maya Angelou

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.”
~ Ralph H. Blum

“What I’ve learned is there’s a scientifically proven phenomenon that’s attached to gratitude, and that if you consciously take note of what is good in your life, quantifiable benefits happen.”
~ Deborah Norville

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

Adaptability

June 1st, 2025

We recently returned from our cross country drive from NJ to Colorado. We had made several plans for stops along the way and visiting friends and had a basic idea of our route. Well…you know that saying, “The best laid plans…”? Pretty much every plan we made was foiled in one way or another! So we took a different route, visited other friends and family, and we’ll wait to tell you the biggest “surprise” of all (not a “good” one!) when we meet this Sunday. Adaptability is such an important skill to embrace, because life often detours our best laid plans. We bet you’ll have some stories to share, too. The weather forecast looks excellent for an outdoor potluck after our gathering (though I’m not counting on it – ha ha!), so we hope you can join us afterwards as well.

Blessings still abound, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder


“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”
~ Charles Darwin

“The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings.”
~ Kakuzo Okakura

“The most successful people are those who accept and adapt to constant change. This adaptability requires a degree of flexibility and humility most people can’t manage.”
~ Paul Lutus

“Action and adaptability create opportunity.”
~ Garrison Wynn

“Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your talent.”
~ Nolan Ryan

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”
~ Vivien Greene

“There can be no life without change, and to be afraid of what is different or unfamiliar is to be afraid of life.”
~ Theodore Roosevelt

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Sunday, June 1st – In person Paths Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with potluck immediately following. We ask that you bring your own washable plates if possible, along with a potluck dish to share. We’ll provide silverware, napkins, cups, and a variety of beverages.

Sunday, June 15th – In person Paths of Heart Gathering with guest musician, Marc Douglas Berardo. Marc will also perform a concert here at Paths at 2 p.m., and likely have a bass player with him! Check out his music at https://marcdouglas.com/ Please rsvp for the concert to info@pathsofheart.org or by calling 970-484-9600. You can secure your seat at the concert by pre-paying at Paypal: https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/ (with “Marc concert” in the special instructions)
or with Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/PathsofHeart (again with “Marc concert” in the “what’s it for?” spot)

Sunday, June 29th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 13th, 10:30 a.m. – In person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, July 27th, 10:30 a.m. – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations as we continue to bolster our finances and return to regular Sunday gatherings. During the pandemic, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart. Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible!

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

We are so grateful for a safe drive back home from the east coast in our new (to us!) car that we bought from Colleen’s Dad. We are grateful for seeing beautiful sights along the way and spending time with friends and family, too!

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
~ Nishan Panwar

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
~ Anthony Robbins

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
~ Maya Angelou

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.”
~ Ralph H. Blum

“What I’ve learned is there’s a scientifically proven phenomenon that’s attached to gratitude, and that if you consciously take note of what is good in your life, quantifiable benefits happen.”
~ Deborah Norville

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

Precious Friendships

May 18th, 2025

I (Colleen) just spent the last 6 days with 4 college friends whom I have known now for 48 years. We’ve just said goodbye as they drove off to their various destinations around the country (which is why this newsletter is a tad late!), and my entire being is filled with deep love, gratitude, and wonder for this powerful and precious bond we share. Over the years there have been weddings, divorces, births, deaths, careers built and lost, heartaches and joys, and we have supported and held one another through it all. What a gift to have such friends in our lives. We bet you’ve been blessed with similar friendships and we’d love to hear your experiences of deep friendship and community. We’re on ZOOM this Sunday and here’s the link:

Topic: Paths of Heart Zoom Meeting
Time: May 18, 2025 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88598996980?pwd=4f1NFjlzLft7cbOczobWHut9LwqzTC.1
Meeting ID: 885 9899 6980
Passcode: 301869

Blessings Abound, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder


“What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.”
~ Aristotle

“I think if I’ve learned anything about friendship, it’s to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let them fight for you. Don’t walk away, don’t be distracted, don’t be too busy or tired, don’t take them for granted. Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together. Powerful stuff.”
~ Jon Katz

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”
~ Anais Nin

“The beginning of love is the will to let those we love be perfectly themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit our own image. If in loving them we do not love what they are, but only their potential likeness to ourselves, then we do not love them: we only love the reflection of ourselves we find in them”
~ Thomas Merton

“Friendship marks a life even more deeply than love. Love risks degenerating into obsession, friendship is never anything but sharing.”
~ Elie Wiesel

“When I say it’s you I like, I’m talking about that part of you that knows that life is far more than anything you can ever see or hear or touch. That deep part of you that allows you to stand for those things without which humankind cannot survive. Love that conquers hate, peace that rises triumphant over war, and justice that proves more powerful than greed.”
~ Fred Rogers

“True friends are always together in spirit.”
~ L.M. Montgomery

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Sunday, May 18th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, June 1st – In person Paths Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with potluck immediately following.

Sunday, June 15th – In person Paths of Heart Gathering with guest musician, Marc Douglas Berardo. Marc will also perform a concert here at Paths at 2 p.m., and likely have a bass player with him! Check out his music at https://marcdouglas.com/ Please rsvp for the concert to info@pathsofheart.org or by calling 970-484-9600. You can secure your seat at the concert by pre-paying at Paypal: https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/ (with “Marc concert” in the special instructions)
or with Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/PathsofHeart (again with “Marc concert” in the “what’s it for?” spot)

Sunday, June 29th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations as we continue to bolster our finances and return to regular Sunday gatherings. During the pandemic, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart. Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible!

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

Colleen is grateful for the precious time spent with her long time college buddies at Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort, where there was much soaking, eating, comradery, and frivolity!

Mark is grateful for Colleen and Myles and Emma and for our recent time together and music making together!

Myles surprised Emma for her 30th birthday and flew out for a few treasured, fun-filled days! We were all grateful for the opportunity to be together as a family!

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
~ Nishan Panwar

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
~ Anthony Robbins

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
~ Maya Angelou

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.”
~ Ralph H. Blum

“What I’ve learned is there’s a scientifically proven phenomenon that’s attached to gratitude, and that if you consciously take note of what is good in your life, quantifiable benefits happen.”
~ Deborah Norville

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

May the Fourth Be With You!

May 4th, 2025

We couldn’t help ourselves (ha!)…but it leads us to contemplate that “force” within ourselves, that “still, small voice” that gives us the courage to navigate rough waters, to stand strong, speak our truth, and step into faith. Bring your stories of listening to that voice, feeling that force within that has brought you to where you are today.

You are powerful, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

The Voice
“There is a voice inside of you
That whispers all day long,
“I feel this is right for me,
I know that this is wrong.”
No teacher, preacher, parent, friend
Or wise man can decide
What’s right for you–just listen to
The voice that speaks inside.”
~ Shel Silverstein

“You are one thing only. You are a Divine Being. An all-powerful Creator. You are a Deity in jeans and a t-shirt, and within you dwells the infinite wisdom of the ages and the sacred creative force of All that is, will be and ever was.”
~ Anthon St. Maarten

“I have not always chosen the safest path. I’ve made my mistakes, plenty of them. I sometimes jump too soon and fail to appreciate the consequences. But I’ve learned something important along the way: I’ve learned to heed the call of my heart. I’ve learned that the safest path is not always the best path and I’ve learned that the voice of fear is not always to be trusted.”
~ Steve Goodier

“Practice listening to your intuition, your inner voice; ask questions; be curious; see what you see; hear what you hear; and then act upon what you know to be true. These intuitive powers were given to your soul at birth.”
~ Clarissa Pinkola Estés

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Sunday, May 4th – In person Paths Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with potluck immediately following.

Sunday, May 18th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, June 1st – In person Paths Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with potluck immediately following.

Sunday, June 15th – In person Paths of Heart Gathering with guest musician, Marc Douglas Berardo. Marc will also perform a concert here at Paths at 2 p.m., and likely have a bass player with him! Check out his music at https://marcdouglas.com/

Sunday, June 29th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations as we continue to bolster our finances and return to regular Sunday gatherings. During the pandemic, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart. Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible!

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

We are grateful for Spring’s bounty, as more and more bulbs and tubers pop open, ground covers show their colors, and shoots of all kinds emerge! It’s been nice to get some rain and it looks like that snow of a couple of weeks ago did not harm the tree blossoms (especially the apple!). Mother Nature is grand! What are you grateful for?

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
~ Nishan Panwar

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
~ Anthony Robbins

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
~ Maya Angelou

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.”
~ Ralph H. Blum

“What I’ve learned is there’s a scientifically proven phenomenon that’s attached to gratitude, and that if you consciously take note of what is good in your life, quantifiable benefits happen.”
~ Deborah Norville

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

Easter, Eostre, Earthday, and Evanescence

April 20th, 2025

We are E-zing ourselves into the Spirit of Spring with celebrations of rebirth, renewal, and earth’s glory, all while recognizing the fleeting nature of Life. It is a precious gift to witness the miracles all around us and to embrace each moment with openness and gratitude, even when it feels difficult, challenging, even insurmountable. It feels a bit funny to be doing a “Zoom Easter” with no celebratory potluck (I’ll miss the Easter ham!) but that’s how the schedule fell, so we look forward to seeing those that can make it to discuss the miracles and enigmas of this thing called Life! Here’s the link:
Topic: Paths of Heart Zoom
Time: Apr 20, 2025 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87937064618?pwd=5yQIysKRvtK9UPpardTX2xdBFw6AUK.1

Meeting ID: 879 3706 4618
Passcode: 073516

Everything’s a miracle, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“So live in the light of resurrection and renewal of this world, and of yourself, in a glorius, never-ending, joyful dance of grace.”
~ Tim Keller

“It is the hour to rend thy chains, the blossom time of souls.”
~ Katharine Lee Bates

“To leave the world better than you found it, sometimes you have to pick up other people’s trash.”
~ Bill Nye

“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.”
~ Lady Bird Johnson

“Every day is a renewal, every morning the daily miracle. This joy you feel is life.”
~ Gertrude Stein

“I firmly believe nature brings solace in all troubles.”
~ Anne Frank

“Like music and art, love of nature is a common language that can transcend political or social boundaries.”
~ Jimmy Carter

“Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Sunday, April 20th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, May 4th – In person Paths Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, May 18th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations as we continue to bolster our finances and return to regular Sunday gatherings. During the pandemic, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart. Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible!

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

It’s another week to be grateful for MUSIC, which lifts our spirits and soothes our souls. We’re enjoying Fort Collin’s biggest music festival of the year, FOCOMX, this weekend. We’re also grateful for Spring’s buds and blossoms (and hoping this weekend’s freeze won’t hinder the apple tree’s usual bounty!). What are you grateful for today?

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
~ Nishan Panwar

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
~ Anthony Robbins

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
~ Maya Angelou

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.”
~ Ralph H. Blum

“What I’ve learned is there’s a scientifically proven phenomenon that’s attached to gratitude, and that if you consciously take note of what is good in your life, quantifiable benefits happen.”
~ Deborah Norville

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

Find Your Own Joy

April 6th, 2025

Well, shoot! This week went so fast (LOTS of distractions ~ maybe we shared some!) that I just realized tonight that I had not sent out this week’s newsletter…Oops! Our good friend and musician, Barb Pons wrote a song with the above title many years ago. We won’t be performing it this Sunday, as Pierce Pettis will be our guest musician, but the sentiment is very pertinent these days. We really do need to acknowledge what brings us JOY and DO THAT – a LOT – or we may not survive these trying times. What brings you joy? We hope MUSIC is included in your list and that you’ll join us Saturday evening for a “Paths of Heart Presents…” concert with Pierce (details below). If you can’t make it, then maybe join us Sunday morning for a few tunes with Pierce and a discussion about JOY.

Choose Joy (and Love), Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.”
~ Rabindranath Tagore

“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.”
~ Leo Buscaglia

“Find a place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.”
~ Joseph Campbell

“Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.”
~ Helen Keller

“To know yourself as the Being underneath the thinker, the stillness underneath the mental noise, the love and joy underneath the pain, is freedom, salvation, enlightenment.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Saturday, April  5th – Our house concert with Pierce Pettis is tomorrow (Saturday) night!  Many of you came to his concert last year where you witnessed a wild music jam with Pierce and Mark, ending with Pierce “smashing” his guitar! Yikes!  The good news is his guitar is fixed up, good as (Pierce says better than!) new, and we intend to have just as much fun (or more!) than last time. Concert starts at 7 pm (doors at 6:30) and we’ll have a finger food/snack potluck during intermission. Suggested donation is $20-25.  There are still a number of seats left, but to guarantee your spot you can pre-pay with Paypal: https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/ (with Pierce Pettis in the special instructions)
or with Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/PathsofHeart

Sunday, April 6th – In person Paths Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with guest musician Pierce Pettis. We usually have a potluck after our in-person gatherings, but with so much going on this weekend already, we’ve decided to forego it this Sunday. Thanks for your understanding!

Sunday, April 20th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, May 4th – In person Paths Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, May 18th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations as we continue to bolster our finances and return to regular Sunday gatherings. During the pandemic, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart. Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible!

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

We are grateful for MUSIC, which lifts our spirits and soothes our souls. What are you grateful for today?

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
~ Nishan Panwar

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
~ Anthony Robbins

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
~ Maya Angelou

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.”
~ Ralph H. Blum

“What I’ve learned is there’s a scientifically proven phenomenon that’s attached to gratitude, and that if you consciously take note of what is good in your life, quantifiable benefits happen.”
~ Deborah Norville

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

Seasonal Shifts

March 30th, 2025

We turned the corner into Spring last week! It’s time to come out of hibernation, do a little spring cleanup and be inspired by nature’s awakening underneath the accumulated detritus. I returned from NJ a day ago and was greeted by fully unfurled daffodils, one of my favorite flowers! It gave me hope that somehow we will emerge from darker times to a new dawn. What are your favorite things about Spring and what lessons can Nature, in her infinite wisdom, teach us? We’re on ZOOM this Sunday and here’s the link. Hope you can join us!
Paths of Heart ZOOM Gathering
Time: Mar 30, 2025 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81986857728?pwd=5BJWLk7fabRHj2zEm17pZqbjiSWO2x.1
Meeting ID: 819 8685 7728
Passcode: 711995

May you blossom like the daffodils! Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.”
~ Leo Tolstoy

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”
~ Rainer Maria Rilke

“She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
“Winter is dead.”
~ A.A. Milne

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”
~ Anne Bradstreet

“People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself.”
~ Ernest Hemingway

“Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world.”
~ Virgil A. Kraft

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

 Sunday, March 30th – ZOOM Paths Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Saturday, April  5th – Our house concert with Pierce Pettis is just over a week away!  Many of you came to his concert last year where you witnessed a wild music jam with Pierce and Mark, ending with Pierce “smashing” his guitar! Yikes!  The good news is his guitar is fixed up, good as (Pierce says better than!) new, and we intend to have just as much fun (or more!) than last time. Concert starts at 7 pm (doors at 6:30) and we’ll have a finger food/snack potluck during intermission. Suggested donation is $20-25.  At this point there are still a number of seats left, but to guarantee your spot you can pre-pay with Paypal: https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/ (with Pierce Pettis in the special instructions)
or with Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/PathsofHeart

Sunday, April 6th – In person Paths Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with guest musician Pierce Pettis.

Sunday, April 20th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations as we continue to bolster our finances and return to regular Sunday gatherings. During the pandemic, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart. Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible!

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

We are grateful for SPRING! A survey of the yard and gardens brings such delight, as new green shoots are making their way through the dirt. Walking the labyrinth is soothing to the soul on these warm days. What are you grateful for today?

What are you grateful for today?

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
~ Nishan Panwar

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
~ Anthony Robbins

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
~ Maya Angelou

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.”
~ Ralph H. Blum

“What I’ve learned is there’s a scientifically proven phenomenon that’s attached to gratitude, and that if you consciously take note of what is good in your life, quantifiable benefits happen.”
~ Deborah Norville

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

Love Remains

March 16th, 2025

This Sunday we’ll be talking about the power of love and how when you truly love someone, that love never dies, even though that person may no longer be with us in physical form. That is certainly the case with our friend and one of Paths of Heart’s original members, Bob Wells, who left this earthly plane peacefully on Feb. 12, 2025 at the age of 83. We’ll be celebrating his life during our gathering, as well as discussing love, loss, grief and the intermingling of these in all of our lives. 
Much love and light, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die”
~ Joseph Campbell

“You will lose someone you can’t live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly – that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp.”
~ Anne Lamott

“For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.”
~ Khalil Gibran

“All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.”
~ Havelock Ellis

“Grief, I’ve learned, is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give, but cannot. All that unspent love gathers up in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in that hollow part of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go.”
~ Jamie Anderson

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

 Sunday, March 16th – In person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.
“Love Remains” – This Sunday will include a Celebration of Life of one of our original Paths of Heart members, Bob Wells, who passed on 2/12/25. Please help spread the word to anyone you may know who would like to celebrate Bob’s life of service and love. A potluck will immediately follow our Gathering. In lieu of flowers, Bob requested donations be made to the Larimer County Humane Society, the Food Bank, and/or Paths of Heart.

Sunday, March 30th – ZOOM Paths Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Saturday, April  5th – We’ve scheduled our first “Paths of Heart Presents…” concert for the year with Pierce Pettis!  Many of you came to his concert last year where you witnessed a wild music jam with Pierce and Mark, ending with Pierce “smashing” his guitar! Yikes!  The good news is his guitar is fixed up, good as (Pierce says better than!) new, and we intend to have just as much fun (or more!) than last time. Concert starts at 7 pm (doors at 6:30) and we’ll have a finger food/snack potluck during intermission. Suggested donation is $20-25. 

Sunday, April 6th – In person Paths Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with guest musician Pierce Pettis.

Sunday, April 20th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations as we continue to bolster our finances and return to regular Sunday gatherings. During the pandemic, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart. Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible!

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day. 

Gratitudes

We’ve been hearing more birds singing outside as spring draws nearer – a lovely, soothing sound. We got to see our birder friend, Dave recently, who took this wonderful photo, and he says the bluebirds are back! The natural world gives us hope that there is still much beauty in this confusing world.

What are you grateful for today?

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
~ Nishan Panwar

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
~ Anthony Robbins

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
~ Maya Angelou

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.”
~ Ralph H. Blum

“What I’ve learned is there’s a scientifically proven phenomenon that’s attached to gratitude, and that if you consciously take note of what is good in your life, quantifiable benefits happen.”
~ Deborah Norville

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

March Forth

March 2nd, 2025

As we sit down to write the newsletter on this last day of February, we think about all that the month of March signifies – the “Promise of Spring”, new growth, and the word “march” itself, calling us to courageously go forth with confidence towards our hopes and dreams for the future. We’re on ZOOM this Sunday and our topics will include courage, faith, and steadfastness. Here’s the link:
Topic: Paths of Heart Zoom Gathering
Time: Mar 2, 2025 10:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81401831145?pwd=2D1IMu8aZotdllfZZR86u0OxojQTH1.1

Meeting ID: 814 0183 1145
Passcode: 935296

Remember, it’s always darkest before the dawn, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”
~ Maya Angelou

“Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine.”
~ Roy T. Bennett

“Do not be afraid; our fate cannot be taken from us; it is a gift.”
~ Dante Alighieri

“None of us knows what might happen even the next minute, yet still we go forward. Because we trust. Because we have faith.”
~ Paulo Coelho

“There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.”
~ Jane Austen

Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep going. Tough situations build strong people in the end.”
~ Roy T. Bennett

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Sunday, March 2nd – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. 

 Sunday, March 16th – In person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. “Love Remains” – This Sunday will include a Celebration of Life of one of our original Paths of Heart members, Bob Wells, who passed on 2/12/25. Please help spread the word to anyone you may know who would like to celebrate Bob’s life of service and love. A potluck will immediately follow our Gathering.

Sunday, March 30th – ZOOM Paths Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Saturday, April  5th – We’ve scheduled our first “Paths of Heart Presents…” concert for the year with Pierce Pettis!  Many of you came to his concert last year where you witnessed a wild music jam with Pierce and Mark, ending with Pierce “smashing” his guitar! Yikes! The good news is his guitar is fixed up, good as (Pierce says better than!) new, and we intend to have just as much fun (or more!) than last time, so mark your calendars.  More details to follow.

Sunday, April 6th – In person Paths Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with guest musician Pierce Pettis.

Sunday, April 20th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations as we continue to bolster our finances and return to regular Sunday gatherings. During the pandemic, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart. Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible!

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day.

Gratitudes

Still feeling the comfort in our community of like minded and kind hearted souls to keep us somewhat sane in these uncertain times. The beauty of our Colorado landscape and the warm weather also provides solace. Colleen is grateful to be feeling better after being “down for the count” for several days last week.

What are you grateful for today?

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
~ Nishan Panwar

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
~ Anthony Robbins

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
~ Maya Angelou

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.”
~ Ralph H. Blum

“What I’ve learned is there’s a scientifically proven phenomenon that’s attached to gratitude, and that if you consciously take note of what is good in your life, quantifiable benefits happen.”
~ Deborah Norville

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl

Posted on

CHOOSE LOVE

February 16th, 2025

We’re STILL really struggling with what’s going on in our beloved country AND we know from the depths of our being that choosing love is still the best way to respond. That doesn’t mean that we condone cruel, reckless, and illegal behavior; however love HAS to be our guiding force in whatever action we may choose to take. Feels like a tall order at times…
Let’s gather in community with a potluck afterwards to support and lift one another up in these troubling times. 

Love will always trump hate, Colleen and Mark

Quotes to ponder

“May we find our way through the fear and hatred and find unity and strength to stand up for the rights of every human to live in peace.”
~ Scott Allen

“To hate is an easy lazy thing but to love takes strength everyone has but not all are willing to practice.”
~ Rupi Kaur

“For hatred does not cease by hatred at any time; hatred ceases by love, this is an old rule.”
~ Friedrich Max Muller

“A loving heart is the truest wisdom.”
~ Charles Dickens

“Eventually you will come to understand that love heals everything, and love is all there is.”
~ Gary Zukav

“Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.”
~ Zora Neale Hurston

“We must strive everyday so that love of living humanity will be transformed into actual deeds, into acts that serve as examples, as a moving force.”
~ Ernesto Che Guevara

Looking Ahead/Notes of Interest

Sunday, February 16th – In Person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with a potluck immediately following.

Sunday, March 2nd – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m. 

 Sunday, March 16th – In person Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, March 30th – ZOOM Paths Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Saturday, April  5th – We’ve scheduled our first “Paths of Heart Presents…” concert for the year with Pierce Pettis!  Many of you came to his concert last year where you witnessed a wild music jam with Pierce and Mark, ending with Pierce “smashing” his guitar! Yikes! The good news is his guitar is fixed up, good as (Pierce says better than!) new, and we intend to have just as much fun (or more!) than last time, so mark your calendars.  More details to follow.

Sunday, April 6th – In person Paths Gathering, 10:30 a.m. with guest musician Pierce Pettis.

Sunday, April 20th – ZOOM Paths of Heart Gathering, 10:30 a.m.

Giving Opportunities
Paths of Heart welcomes and appreciates your generous donations as we continue to bolster our finances and return to regular Sunday gatherings. During the pandemic, online donations became increasingly important to our organization, and are always gratefully accepted on our website, https://www.pathsofheart.org/donate/. There is an option for recurring monthly donations, if you so choose. We have also added Venmo as an easy way to donate to Paths of Heart! Just type in @PathsofHeart to find us in the Venmo app. Thanks so much for supporting the continuation of Paths of Heart. Remember, we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are tax deductible!

Another easy way to further support Paths of Heart is through the King Soopers Community Rewards Program – If you shop at KS and have a rewards card, you can “link” it to Paths of Heart and King Soopers will donate a portion of your dollars spent (around 5%) to our non-profit. Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/i/community/community-rewards to sign up and link your card. Our organization name is Paths of Heart and organization number is RG782. Let us know if you want help signing up! This one small gesture (by just 25 or so families at this point) helps to generate over $1,000 a year for Paths of Heart, so we appreciate your consideration in participating in this valuable program!!

“Paths of Heart” Labyrinth and Zen Meditation Garden
This was intentioned as a community space, so know that you are always welcome to drop by and walk or sit – you do not need to let us know in advance. Do note that we have experienced the outer “halo” of glass blocks in the labyrinth to be slippery when wet, so it’s best to walk it on a dry day.

Gratitudes

We take comfort in our community of like minded and kind hearted souls to keep us somewhat sane in these uncertain times. The beauty of our Colorado landscape also provides solace.

What are you grateful for today?

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
~ Nishan Panwar

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
~ Anthony Robbins

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
~ Maya Angelou

“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.”
~ Ralph H. Blum

“What I’ve learned is there’s a scientifically proven phenomenon that’s attached to gratitude, and that if you consciously take note of what is good in your life, quantifiable benefits happen.”
~ Deborah Norville

About Paths of Heart…

Paths of Heart is a high spirited, heart-centered community where we gather together (in new and creative ways!) for music, poetry, commentary, and dialogue to create and nurture joy, compassion, gratitude, and love – in our own lives and throughout the world.  Paths of Heart is a 501(c)(3) Human Services/Educational non-profit organization that uses the arts, especially, to encourage and propel seekers of a better, more peaceful world to find ways to serve, while becoming more kind and compassionate human beings.

We welcome you as we collectively and individually explore the sweet mysteries of life – this is an invitation into co-creation! 

Visit us on the web at https://www.pathsofheart.org
We hope our physical paths may cross soon!

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ~ Ruth Reichl