Bakesale Betty, Take 2

A tragic thing happened last fall.  Bakesale Betty decided to close on Sundays – the day that I frequent Oakland.  I am heartbroken – as is my mother who, now in her eighties, has developed both a dislike for cooking and a hearty appetite for Betty’s chicken potpies. As fortune would have it, I was in the neighborhood one Tuesday afternoon and managed to scoot in just before closing to snag some goodies for...

Generosity and Bakesale Betty

For me, the most gratifying Sunday morning involves a rockin’ celebration of worship at the East Bay Church of Religious Science followed by lunch with friends at one of the many great restaurants in Oakland’s Temescal District.   My favorite stop is Bakesale Betty. There is no sign, just a black awning.  In the window is the day’s menu scrawled on a piece of butcher paper.  It’s an easy place to find – look...

The Four Portals of Gratitude

In her audio book, Gratitude, Angeles Arrien offers the four portals of gratitude: Blessings – acts of kindness, consideration and generosity Learnings – life lessons that allow me to stretch, to handle the unexpected and unfamiliar Mercies – acts of compassion and forgiveness Protections – given to us by the seen and unseen worlds Gratitude is intricately linked to cultivating a creative way of...