Art, writing, and nature inspired me during this past year of pandemic life. Amid the gloom of worry and anxiety and then the short days of winter, I pleasantly surprised myself by turning to simple things that slowed me down, made me pay attention, and brought a joyful smile to me.

I’ve been rotating paintings and prints behind me for my Zoom calls on a regular basis. Some folks notice the change, other don’t. They provide me with an everchanging landscape that reminds me of how easily I can shift my perspectives. Right now, I’ve returned Ito Takashi’s 1929 wood block print, “A Shinoke Lake in the Rain” to my wall. I call it “Resilience”

My friend and writer Christine Benner Dixon shared a very lovely short story she just had published in the Los Angeles Review entitled “In the Garden” about an encounter with God which left her amazed at how even the Almighty can find solace in the smallest of ways…and how we can help.

Besides our informal hikes in the woods every week, we formalized our nature journeys with trips to the Pittsburgh Botanical Gardens and Phipps Conservatory this past weekend. Slowly, slowly, slowly, I weaved my way through the paths of these nature centers finding encouragement in how life renews herself again and again.

What has inspired you this past year?

Happenings

The Leadership Café 

The Leadership Café’s are back and this week we feature Art Hoopes, CEO or Amare Healthcare and Capital Healthcare Solutions. Art’s companies provide staffing and home health care services across our region. In this edition of the Café, Art explains how his unique career experiences have prepared him for building his own company and the opportunities that await his team in this challenging health care environment.