Michele Shields
@micheleshields.bsky.social
United Methodist Minister. Quaker. Writer. ACPE
Certified Educator. Director of Spiritual Care Emerita @UCSFHealth. Married. Lives in Hawaii. Paddles canoes.
Certified Educator. Director of Spiritual Care Emerita @UCSFHealth. Married. Lives in Hawaii. Paddles canoes.
“Truth will not lose ground by being tried.” Isaac Penington wrote these words in a letter to a friend in 1670, encouraging her that truth will always prevail, saying, “Darkness is afraid of the light, because it has a secret sense that it cannot stand before it.”
- DailyQuaker.com
- DailyQuaker.com
February 1, 2026 at 4:43 PM
“Truth will not lose ground by being tried.” Isaac Penington wrote these words in a letter to a friend in 1670, encouraging her that truth will always prevail, saying, “Darkness is afraid of the light, because it has a secret sense that it cannot stand before it.”
- DailyQuaker.com
- DailyQuaker.com
We saw whales and dolphins when we were paddling a Hawaiian outrigger canoe yesterday! I took a photo of the dolphins.
January 31, 2026 at 5:03 AM
We saw whales and dolphins when we were paddling a Hawaiian outrigger canoe yesterday! I took a photo of the dolphins.
Sunrise today on the water. See the canoe of paddlers on the left?
January 29, 2026 at 1:38 AM
Sunrise today on the water. See the canoe of paddlers on the left?
There is “that of God” in everyone.
There is that near you which will guide you. O! Hearken unto it, and be sure ye keep to it.
— Isaac Penington, 1678 Quaker mystic
There is that near you which will guide you. O! Hearken unto it, and be sure ye keep to it.
— Isaac Penington, 1678 Quaker mystic
January 21, 2026 at 3:00 AM
There is “that of God” in everyone.
There is that near you which will guide you. O! Hearken unto it, and be sure ye keep to it.
— Isaac Penington, 1678 Quaker mystic
There is that near you which will guide you. O! Hearken unto it, and be sure ye keep to it.
— Isaac Penington, 1678 Quaker mystic
We must learn to live together as brothers (and sisters) or perish together as fools.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 20, 2026 at 4:45 AM
We must learn to live together as brothers (and sisters) or perish together as fools.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike.
- John Muir
- John Muir
January 18, 2026 at 2:20 AM
Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike.
- John Muir
- John Muir
French lamb shank, cheese polenta and asparagus! Very satisfying.
January 17, 2026 at 5:45 AM
French lamb shank, cheese polenta and asparagus! Very satisfying.
Kailua Beach this morning! In a couple of hours, we went out canoe paddling at Lanikai. It became a huge squall with rain, high winds and serious current/waves. “If you don’t like the weather here, just wait a few hours.” The weather can be like a yo-yo.
January 13, 2026 at 6:11 AM
Kailua Beach this morning! In a couple of hours, we went out canoe paddling at Lanikai. It became a huge squall with rain, high winds and serious current/waves. “If you don’t like the weather here, just wait a few hours.” The weather can be like a yo-yo.
However quietly we speak, the Light is so near that the Light will hear us: we need no wings to go in search of the Light, but only to find a place where we can be alone and look upon the Light present within us. (Adapted)
- Teresa of Avila
- Teresa of Avila
January 12, 2026 at 1:20 AM
However quietly we speak, the Light is so near that the Light will hear us: we need no wings to go in search of the Light, but only to find a place where we can be alone and look upon the Light present within us. (Adapted)
- Teresa of Avila
- Teresa of Avila
Beautiful calm day on the ocean for a gorgeous paddle!
January 11, 2026 at 1:05 AM
Beautiful calm day on the ocean for a gorgeous paddle!
Took a long walk around Waikiki and up around Monserrat. Sunshine felt good.
January 10, 2026 at 1:24 AM
Took a long walk around Waikiki and up around Monserrat. Sunshine felt good.
Hauʻoli Aloha Pōʻalima!
Happy Aloha Friday!
Happy Aloha Friday!
January 9, 2026 at 5:39 AM
Hauʻoli Aloha Pōʻalima!
Happy Aloha Friday!
Happy Aloha Friday!
Aloha kakou! One of the most enjoyable things which I did in 2025, was to read all these books with book clubs on Substack! Some were slow reads spread out and discussed over the entire year and some took only a month or more. Each was led by literary experts or enthusiasts. I recommend Substack!
January 2, 2026 at 8:21 PM
Aloha kakou! One of the most enjoyable things which I did in 2025, was to read all these books with book clubs on Substack! Some were slow reads spread out and discussed over the entire year and some took only a month or more. Each was led by literary experts or enthusiasts. I recommend Substack!
Radical left scum enjoying her birthday!
December 28, 2025 at 5:53 AM
Radical left scum enjoying her birthday!
Sumac chicken with polenta, pine nuts and Parmesan!
December 26, 2025 at 5:22 AM
Sumac chicken with polenta, pine nuts and Parmesan!
Mele Kalikimaka from our Christmas crew of paddlers today!
December 26, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Mele Kalikimaka from our Christmas crew of paddlers today!
Bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado salad!
December 25, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado salad!
Another non-paddling day when the current, waves and wind were moving quickly.
December 25, 2025 at 5:51 AM
Another non-paddling day when the current, waves and wind were moving quickly.
Our outrigger canoe crew did not paddle today due to the winds and waves. There was also a small craft advisory.
December 24, 2025 at 5:48 AM
Our outrigger canoe crew did not paddle today due to the winds and waves. There was also a small craft advisory.
Here…have a nose boop! - Kolohe
December 22, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Here…have a nose boop! - Kolohe
Hauʻoli Aloha Pōʻalima!
Happy Aloha Friday!
Happy Aloha Friday!
December 19, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Hauʻoli Aloha Pōʻalima!
Happy Aloha Friday!
Happy Aloha Friday!
Chicken Yakitori with sesame seeds, rice and roasted corn! Tasty! Ono!
December 18, 2025 at 6:50 AM
Chicken Yakitori with sesame seeds, rice and roasted corn! Tasty! Ono!
If we take some space for silence this season, we will hear the Voice that speaks not only in words, but also in gentle tugs on our hearts and in the beauty our eyes behold in the lights, the sights, sounds, and people surrounding us this season.
- Brent Bill
- Brent Bill
December 7, 2025 at 1:41 AM
If we take some space for silence this season, we will hear the Voice that speaks not only in words, but also in gentle tugs on our hearts and in the beauty our eyes behold in the lights, the sights, sounds, and people surrounding us this season.
- Brent Bill
- Brent Bill