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…
Never underestimate the power of affirmation.Every single one of us needs to hear these words, "I value you. You are worthy."I needed it this week. Hoosiers is a feel-good movie. Worth watching again and again. A David versus Goliath story…
I spent this past week tasting wine in Languedoc-Roussillon, in southern France. It’s not a bad way to spend a week. And, I did a lot of walking, giving me a good deal of time for cogitation and pondering. I…
Every day after school, the son of a well-known Rabbi would enter his house, place his backpack on the dining room table, leave the house through the back door and head into the woods behind the house. At first, the Rabbi gave little thought…
This week, a saint died. Mary Oliver, the patron saint of paying compassionate attention. Her poetry is the art of bearing witness to our world. She invited us to put our lips to the sacred present in the ordinary. She…
In 1995 Volkswagen ran an ad. The ad conjured up what it felt like to drive their car. Taking it around fast curves. Or over rocky desert roads. It felt liberating and precarious and unbound. What I do remember best are the…
“Do you want a part in the Christmas nativity play?” James’ grade school teacher asked him.“Of course,” he answered. "You get to be Joseph," the teacher told him.James was proud, what with his friends having to be sheep and cows and such. "What are my lines?"…
The husband knew he could not adequately care for his wife, now in the final stages of Alzheimer's. He found a compassionate facility and visited her every day. At noon for lunch. Not 11:59. Not 12:01. Noon. Every day. Until the day of a minor accident when he found himself in an Emergency Room, his arm being stitched by a nurse as the…
Some headlines give you whiplash. “Heart Left Behind on Southwest Flight.” Oh my, that doesn’t sound good. It seems that a Southwest flight was forced to turn around after a human heart (meant for donation) was accidentally left on board.…
