Soul Salsa

Thanksgiving

November 23, 2025 Photo by JillWellington on Pixabay Thanksgiving is upon us, and all the sense memories that come with it. As I savor the colors, spices, and aromas of the season, I reflect on gratitude , giving , and grace . When I feed my soul, I find fullness of joy and strength for the day. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). I’ve been reading a Unity bo

Elisa Juarez

Nov 233 min read

Lead Bread Lesson

November 16, 2025 (This essay was first published in Soul Salsa, 2020) As we all prepare for Thanksgiving, I thought I would share a funnt memory from my childhood that just might contain a little lesson for all of us. I used to enjoy baking with my mom when I was growing up, and one Thanksgiving she let me make the cranberry walnut bread all by myself. I had never made it, but I had seen my mom make all kinds of breads, including yeast breads. I followed the recipe, mixing e

Elisa Juarez

Nov 162 min read

Grieve, Work, Dance

October 19, 2025 Yesterday was an amazing day in America and in my own little corner of it. Millions of people across the country and the world gathered with flags, signs, and exuberance to say “No Kings in America.” From coast to coast, in small towns and big cities, communities marched, sang, chanted, and cheered for freedom, democracy, and justice. This is the American spirit like I haven’t seen or felt in months. This is true patriotism and love for our country. Despite t

Elisa Juarez

Oct 213 min read

Charism

September 19, 2025 To find our calling is to find the intersection between our own deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger. -Frederick...

Elisa Juarez

Sep 213 min read

Core Strength

August 30, 2025 As long as I have been doing yoga and receiving chiropractic care (my whole adult life), I’ve been learning about core...

Elisa Juarez

Aug 293 min read

Buoyancy

August 3, 2025 The other day I woke up feeling buoyant after a good sleep and a joy-filled day with family and friends. The love and laughter that filled these walls lingered, lifting my spirit and energizing my whole being. It was testament to the power of connection, especially in times when so much feels broken and torn apart. Since I am a lover of words and meanings, I looked up the actual definition of “buoyant” to give me some insight: Buoyant: having buoyancy

Elisa Juarez

Aug 173 min read

Grief & Grit

July 13, 2025 It’s been just over a week since the catastrophic flooding in the Texas Hill Country, and the stories of heartbreak and...

Elisa Juarez

Jul 133 min read

Sabbath Salsa

June 22, 2025 Only in the soil of Sabbath tranquillity can we seed the possibility of a new day, a new week —even a new life —again and again, each time with fresh eyes, rested and refreshed, born within the completely gratuitous sanctuary of time. - Wayne Muller, Sabbath As I sit in the serenity of this Sabbath day, equally aware of the news of the day, I ask myself what I can say and share in this moment. For me, these are the questions: What do I see? What do I know? What

Elisa Juarez

Jun 293 min read

The Little Things

June 1, 2025 Photo from Pixabay Last week my husband and I celebrated 35 years of marriage, which brought us to pause and reflect on how we got here. Milestones are reached through a series of stepping stones, adjustments, decisions, and detours. Basically the stuff of life. Love is like a mosaic of colored glass, many little pieces, some with sharp edges and imperfections, that reflect the light within us. The mosaic is created over time through the gentle handling of vulne

Elisa Juarez

Jun 23 min read