“You feel a little tighter today than normal,” Rachel says, softly. Yeah, right, I think. As if I haven’t noticed. Rachel is my massage therapist. I typically book an appointment with her every month to help…
Phyllis Cole-DaiNovember 21, 2022
In my dream, I’m visiting a dear friend whom I don’t often get to see. Each hour of our time together is precious. As our reunion is nearing its unwelcome end, we hear a soft…
Phyllis Cole-DaiNovember 17, 2022
I’m so grateful for the outpouring of well wishes during my illness! Know that I’m writing this with a smile and increasing levels of energy. What follows is a list of “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ)…
Phyllis Cole-DaiOctober 24, 2022
A friend shows me a beautiful potted mum. Its rich orange-red buds have burst open with vibrant sprays of sun-yellow at their center. The plant—of a variety called “Autumn Sunset”—is simply gorgeous. “The garden center…
Phyllis Cole-DaiOctober 10, 2022
This morning I delivered Jihong to the Sioux Falls airport, an hour south of us, for the first leg of an overseas business trip. As he’d prepared to leave home, a strange sequence of problems…
Phyllis Cole-DaiOctober 2, 2022
On September 4, Jihong and I delivered Nathan to college for his sophomore year. An hour after we unloaded his stuff at the dorm, Nathan auditioned on his cello for a seat in the symphonic…
Phyllis Cole-DaiSeptember 19, 2022
Imagine yourself holding a hammer. Now, strike your hammer against a big pane of tempered glass. Watch the glass shatter into thousands of crystalline pieces, dropping all around your feet. Hear the initial crash of…
Phyllis Cole-DaiSeptember 13, 2022
Eden is nine years old. Her family lives across the street from Annette Langlois Grunseth, a dear friend of mine who, in her seventies, is a beautiful ball of energy. Eden and Annette have turned…
Phyllis Cole-DaiSeptember 4, 2022
In the July 10 edition of Staying Power, I told you about “Humanity Present,” an opportunity for shared, silent gazing that I intend to offer in a public setting, here where I reside. Planning for…
Phyllis Cole-DaiAugust 22, 2022
One wintry day, long ago, I had the privilege of visiting with a woman I'll call Rose. Ninety-five years old, she was recovering from a broken hip at the home of her daughter, a good…
Phyllis Cole-DaiAugust 15, 2022
This weekend I’m retreating at the home of my friend and co-editor Ruby Wilson to assemble the second volume of Poetry of Presence (forthcoming, May, 2022). Without question, this is my favorite part of creating…
Phyllis Cole-DaiAugust 8, 2022
Dear Julie, Thank you for your sweet note concerning my work. Thank you, too, for entrusting me with this question that’s been weighing on your heart: “How does one hold both grief and joy at…
Phyllis Cole-DaiJuly 25, 2022
