Oliver Sacks lived bigger than life. Passionate, eccentric and engaged. As a doctor, (renowned neurologist), he treated patients who suffered, well, from just about everything (including unusual neurological disorders, and you may remember him from the movie, Awakenings).On this, he…
An all-star quarterback retired this past week. Andrew Luck is 29. Which means, too young to retire. Because of years of chronic pain, he made the decision based on priorities other than his job; health, family and joy.He was booed…
Did someone go through our world and change the price tags that determine what we value? And what grounds us? It feels that way to me.In conversations and email, I hear two consistent themes; depletion (from overload, distraction and hurry)…
In January, near a sign that read, “Prayer only No visit. No phone,” I sat and prayed, in Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris.Watching the inferno this past week, my heart hurt. Sometimes we don't have words.I can tell you that I…
The flood was several weeks ago, and I stopped by to see how things were going and went into Sykes' grocery store (Ellen Gilchrist tells her story, just after Katrina). The proprietor told me about filling the sandbags, who all was…
My friend Tim Hansel wrote a book on parenting. He asked his young sons, "Boys, how do you know Dad loves you?"He figured that they would say, "Daaaad, remember when you took us to Disney world, like for 10 days!" They didn't say that, so he knew he…
Loving costs a lot, but not loving always costs more. "Does it hurt?" the Rabbit asked the Skin Horse (about "becoming real"). "Oh yes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "Sometimes it hurts a lot. But when you are…
A businessman walks the airport concourse, on his way to baggage claim. His flight is late in arriving, and his mood is melancholy. This is the end of a long business trip; his energy spent and his emotions raw. If…
“I have never been lost,” Daniel Boone once said about exploring remote areas. “But I will admit to being confused for several weeks.” That’ll preach. And I will admit to the same. My confusion was exaggerated this past week (during our serious heat…
Last week I danced with Manatees. Lord have mercy, it was good. I was in Manasota Key, Florida, my annual gathering with my friends of 35 years. Manatees are unafraid of humans and are curious. They are gentle, docile and…
