For the Living
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until, at…
Essays
Unexpected Love
August 2017. With a carload of young and adult men, I pulled into a small parking lot at the base of a 4-day long backpacking trail. We were there to summit the tallest peak in Utah. As you can imagine…
Becoming
Who am I? In our lifetime, we may ask ourselves that question more than once. Sometimes, it’s superficial self-questioning. At others, it sparks deep reflection, and may result in a career change, dramatic weight loss, or going all-in with a…
Humans Being vs. Humans Doing
Consider this composite image. What thoughts and feelings are elicited by the two halves of this picture. Here are a couple of obvious primers: Eye for Ebony The image features just one person. The way her eyes are looking makes…
A Symptom of Anarchy: Speed
7:02 pm. June 13, 2019. 15-year old Donnel was struck and killed on Helen Street by a 24-year old driver who lost control of his car. He was traveling through a neighborhood at a high rate of speed. The driver…
Why We Need a Level 3 Christmas All Year
2020 began with people alive with anticipation of the new decade and ended with people worldwide exhausted and anxious for change and relief. 2021, at least in the United States, didn’t start out with the calm most people hoped for…
The Moments In Between
Little Kavita Laghari was born in Shanivarasanthe, India in 1941 — the first child born in the village that year. Her mother came from a royal bloodline that was ousted by Ahmad Yar Khan when he took over the rule…
Sufficient Is The Day
In 63 BC, Pompey laid siege to Jerusalem. 70 years later, the Romans are still in charge, oppressing the people; only allowing most of them to eek out a meager existence. A warm summer breeze blows from the South, carrying…
The Life Coach Lie
Disclaimer: I think life coaches, health coaches, business coaches — the good ones anyway — are worth every penny they’re paid to help people feel good about themselves and what they are accomplishing. However, so many of them have the…
Why Sarcasm Works
For anyone over about the age of 9, undergoing a tonsillectomy can be a major ordeal. I’ve heard tales of adults who are essentially incapacitated by the procedure for a month or longer. Compare that to younger children, particularly those…
Three Heroes
A few days ago, one of my children practically insisted that we watch “Avengers: End Game”. Again. At this point, there are large segments of the movie I can quote. Sometimes in my sleeep. I admit, I love a good…
In The Eye of The Beholder
There are 9 major parts to a human eye: the Sclera (that’s the white part), the Cornea (a window, of sorts, that covers the iris and pupil), the Pupil (where the light gets in), the Iris (the eye’s shutter), the…
On The Subject of Sentimentality
When I was 5 years old, my parents gave me the blue suitcase pictured above. As a 5-year old, it was a prized possession. We made a regular practice of staying with my mom’s sister — who never married nor…
Interdependence: The Only Way Forward
Albert Einstein, arguably one of the most intelligent and creative thinkers of the last 200 years was born March 14, 1879. His theories of special and general relativity dramatically changed our view of the universe. Nikola Tesla was born on…
Why Printed Books Still Make Sense
I love the smell of books, particularly old ones. There is something almost reverent about taking a well-worn book in my hands and leafing through its pages. There is also an excitement to opening a newly printed book for the…
