Steppingstones
by Judy Brown

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These poems are part of an inner dialogue about transitions and turnings, and the lessons the natural world can offer us. In my leadership work, I often invite folks to detail the steppingstones that have brought them to where they are in their work and their life. It is that process from which this collection takes its name: steppingstones.

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praise for Steppingstones Behind my great-grandparents’ farmhouse in the rolling Iowa countryside, there was a pump that drew water from a deep well—clear, fresh, bracing water that, drunk from a tin cup, was an elixir for whatever ailed you. Judy Brown’s poetry is like that water. Drawn from the deep well of her own life, crystal-clear but rich with meaning, these poems can quench all manner of human thirsts. So drink up and satisfy your soul! — Parker J. Palmer (author of Healing the Heart of Democracy, Let Your Life Speak and A Hidden Wholeness Judy Brown’s poems are subtle, like rain on the surface of stillness inviting us to wait for the ripples to clear. In Steppingstones, she explores the solidity of presence and our capacity to hear ourselves within the gift of Nature; so we might better meet this life. — Mark Nepo, author of The Endless Practice and Seven Thousand Ways to Listen Steppingstones is a poet’s view of the world seen through the portal of all of our lives…if we were to really look. …I read through all the poems, stopping here and there to reflect, react and rethink… A special voice….wisdom shines through in direct and straightforward language. This book of poems falls on us as a gentle rain….each drop is felt and gives us a new personal insight. — Roger Saillant, PhD, Executive Director, Fowler Center for Sustainable Value, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University. Nature is the great teacher and restorer of the soul in Judy Brown’s poetry. And because these poems teach us how to “practice looking, with open eyes and open heart,” they restore our soul. — Betty Sue Flowers. Former Director LBJ Presidential Library

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Judy Brown is a poet, leadership educator, writer and speaker, with a passion for helping people uncover their gifts and connect with one another. A native of northwestern Michigan, she writes from a deep love of the natural world and an appreciation for the power of place. Her poetry focuses on transitions and learning from nature. Her leadership work is in the fields of the arts, government, health and elder services. She holds a PhD in Comparative Literature, is a former White House Fellow, and has been affiliated with The Aspen Institute and The University of Maryland. Her other books include The Choice, The Sea Accepts All Rivers, A Leader’s Guide to Reflective Practice, Simple Gifts, The Art and Spirit of Leadership, and Flourishing Enterprise: The New Spirit of Business (with co-author Chris Laszlo and other colleagues at the Fowler Center at Case Western Reserve University). She lives with her husband David on a small tidal creek near the Chesapeake Bay, where they can kayak off their front lawn.

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Contributors

Author

Judy Brown

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