Archive | Life columns & features 14-15

I NEEDED a few plastic knives and forks. As an eco-conscious woman, I would never buy plastic cutlery but I had to offer five sets for dinner out of respect for a family’s religion; too hard to explain.
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“There’s so much junk,” moans a dear friend, packing up her home. “Why do people keep all this rubbish?” I’m helping her do a clutter bust. I’m the worst clutter-buster on the planet given that: (a) I’m a hoarder who can’t see why anyone would want to throw out their 35-year-old teddy bear and (b) I am allergic to dust. Continue Reading →

RECENTLY I went to a funky cafe. I was enjoying the food and company when nature called. On the way back from the bathroom, I ran into two friends sitting at a table. I was overjoyed because I don’t see them often. They are loads of fun and we’ve always had a special bond. But they glared at me as if I were from outer space. Continue Reading →

I ONCE got to know someone who was a philanthropist and humanist. He spent a lot of time overseas helping children in war-torn countries. His focus was on landmines and the kids who were being maimed as they played. He didn’t just give money; he gave his time. Continue Reading →

I HAD a very strange experience a few years ago which has made me think about the nature of love. I’d been advertising for a room-mate for my spare room to get me over a financial hump. Continue Reading →

THERE is a fear that I’ve just looked up that many of us probably have. Soteriophobia — the fear of becoming dependent on someone else. Continue Reading →

As a busy year draws to an end it’s worth considering why so many of us struggle to find time to set aside distractions and “stop and think”. Continue Reading →

I HAVE a spiritual teacher in India. This year, when I was with him at his ashram, I sought a private audience to discuss my concerns. Continue Reading →

One of the most frightening experiences of my life was in Delhi during a trip to India when our taxi driver began driving on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic, which not only included fast cars and trucks but also, unbelievably, a herd of buffalo walking along the curb towards us. Continue Reading →

Driving around southern Italy and Sicily, my partner and I decided to make a sacred pilgrimage to volcanic sites such as Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius. We drove to the top of smouldering Mount Etna, to see the steam coming out of the ground and look into the volcano’s famed Calderas. Continue Reading →