Category Archives: Family values

Untangling Our Strings

Maybe there’s a knot of resentment that we could untangle with a bit of patience and forgiveness. Perhaps there’s an interlocking loop of mistaken communications that could be smoothed with a phone call or a note. Or it could be that a few moments of stillness—a walk in the woods, down a street, or along a beach—would allow us to relax the tension on those strings and let them disentangle and unfurl like strands of kelp in a gentle tide.
Posted in Acting, Art and Entertainment, Audio Drama, authors and entertainment world, Creativity, Family, family history and genealogy, Family values, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, head and heart connection, Heart and head connection in books, heart of an artist, Integrating lifes purpose through art, life's purpose, Mara Purl, mission and core purpose in life, musician-singer-songwriter, Opening up to New Worlds, screenwriting and acting, Uncategorized, voice performance | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Dolls’ Christmas

This year we have special visitors who seem to have taken over the den and the guest room. I wouldn't be surprised if they've been tiptoeing around while I'm not looking, arraying themselves throughout the house. This just might be the dolls' Christmas.
Posted in Books, familial history, Family, family history and genealogy, Family values, Gifts, Gratitude, Heart, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Polishing the Silver

I enjoy the work as a meditation of gratitude—which often begins around Thanksgiving week. It’s a reminder that our gifts—and talents—need to be polished so they shine brightly enough to be shared.
Posted in about issues of the heart, AHA Moments, Art and Entertainment, Authors, Connecting through books, Creativity, family history and genealogy, Family values, Finding treasures of the heart in books, Gifts, Gratitude, head and heart connection, head and heart connection, life's purpose, Live Your Best Life, Mara Purl, Metaphors, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, mission and core purpose in life, Mother, Mothers & Daughters, Nurturing the soul, power of the universe, self-growth, sychronicity of life, Women's Fiction | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Paternity Test

My father let us see that love really is reciprocal. I helped him walk when he was ninety-nine, reassured him his journey made sense, made a difference, and had value greater than the gold of kings. When it came to the real paternity test, he passed with flying colors. Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, Acting, AHA Moments, Art and Entertainment, BBC Radio, Family, family history and genealogy, Family values, Heart and head connection in books, Integrating lifes purpose through art, Japan, life's purpose, Mara Purl, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Mother, Writing | 5 Comments

If It’s Not One Thing It’s Your Mother

I could have chosen to believe I had a mean-spirited mother who’d rather hurt than help her daughter. Yet, when I scratched the surface of the complex relationship with my mother, I never failed to discover her heart of gold. Her only motive in saying anything critical was to help me, improve my life, remove an obstacle, deliver me to my best opportunities. Read more
Posted in Family, Family values, Gratitude, Head & Heart, Heart, Mara Purl, Mothers & Daughters, self-growth | 5 Comments

Cousins Reunion

I came away with the impression that most of the greats and grands of the family were quite heroic in their way, surviving the Great Depression, serving in the Great War, and coming home to tend their farms and care for their families.
Posted in about issues of the heart, Authors, Bellekeep Books, familial history, Family, family history and genealogy, Family values, Finding treasures of the heart in books, head and heart connection, Heart and head connection in books, Integrating lifes purpose through art, Live Your Best Life, Mara Purl, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Novel series, Nurturing the soul, self-growth, Small Town Fiction, Travel | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The After Days

Projects have always been a way of life for the Purls. Sometimes a bane, sometimes a boon, projects define our time and express our various core purposes. That’s what I’ll miss the most, I think—that I won’t get to do the next project with Mom.
Posted in about issues of the heart, AHA Moments, Authors, Bellekeep Books, Creativity, familial history, Family, family history and genealogy, Family values, flow of life, head and heart connection, head and heart connection, Heart, Integrating lifes purpose through art, involvement in issues near and dear to heart, life's purpose, Love, Magical moments, Mara Purl, mission and core purpose in life, Mother, Mothers & Daughters, Nurturing the soul, Personal Essays, power of the universe, relationships, self-growth, sychronicity of life, synchronicity, Transformation, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Year for Mom: The Big Day

The Purl Family “A Year for Mom” are posts written the year of my mother’s illness and her passing. It had started as one of Mom’s bright ideas. Though she and Pere had been unable to fly to California to see my sister Linda perform the remarkable one-woman show The Year of Magical Thinking, she imagined that, somehow, the show could come to her. Read more
Posted in Acting, Art and Entertainment, authors and entertainment world, Family, family history and genealogy, Family values, Heart, Integrating lifes purpose through art, involvement in issues near and dear to heart, life's purpose, Magical moments, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, mission and core purpose in life, Nurturing the soul, Personal Essays, Public Speaking, Transformation, Women authors | Leave a comment

A Year for Mom: Preparing for the Big Day

Mom in Captain Hero's arms“A Year for Mom” are posts written the year of my mother’s illness and her passing. Some of the most heartfelt and extraordinary communications I've sent or received took place during this challenging year. This post shares the experience of celebrating her 90th birthday. Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, energy, Family, Family values, Gratitude, Head & Heart, Heart, joy, Mara Purl, mission and core purpose in life, Mother, Nurturing the soul | Leave a comment

Auntie-Mothering Heart to Heart

Mara Purl and LuciusThe first time I saw a picture of my darling nephew, he was making the thumbs-up sign in an ultrasound image. Close to the time of his delivery, my sister asked, “If he comes in the middle of the night, should I call you?” I answered, “Every other woman does!” This was literally true, since my husband’s an obstetrician. We laughed, and then dashed to the hospital at the appointed hour. Read more
Posted in Art and Entertainment, Family, family history and genealogy, Family values, Head & Heart, head and heart connection, Heart, heart of an artist, Live Your Best Life, Mara Purl, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Music, self-growth | 1 Comment