just enough light

‘Tis the season of Lent. As religious seasons go, this is my favorite. One reason it is my favorite is that you don’t have to be particularly religious for Lent to be meaningful. For me, Lent is about being aware of many things that I too often ignore. Things like gratitude, grief, life’s impermanence, and […]

Raymond was the crossing guard at one of the street corners between our house and the elementary school my son attended. He was retired, about 20 years older than I. Raymond had learned the first name of every child that he helped across the street, and he learned the first name of most of the […]

My Aunt Janet died at age 89. Her ashes were buried in the cemetery in Needham, MA this weekend near her parents, my grandparents. Born in 1930, she was the youngest of my mother’s siblings. She was an outstanding high school basketball player, a teacher  in her early adult years, and an ordained minister for […]

Fear shows itself in many ways. Fear shows itself honestly, prompting us to pull back, to cautiously evaluate an unclear situation before moving forward. Fear may also show itself dishonestly, as false bravado or misplaced aggression. Fearful people lash out. Fear also prompts us to do something unwise and against good reason simply “because I […]

Walter Meller wrote an impassioned opinion article in the Abilene Reporter News on June 13 calling for a return to sanity in our country. I concur with his premise, that we as a nation have lost our “moral underpinnings” and that we must “come to an understanding that honesty, fairness, and morality form the foundation […]

While the governor, lieutenant governor, the ERCOT board, and others who stand to look bad because of the recent electrical failure are busy pointing fingers and providing rationale, each fails to mention one glaring fact. No one is talking about the need to transition to completely renewable or carbon-free forms of energy. Regardless of what […]

I hated feeling out of control two days ago. My dad’s computer was invaded by a small army of hackers (literally 101 foreign IP addresses were identified), resulting in flashing warning signals on the screen and an industrial-sounding signal blaring from the speakers. I had no choice but to call the number on the screen, […]

Many years ago I read a sermon by Ernest Campbell titled, “Locked in a room with open doors.” I remember it being a good sermon, though I don’t recall specifics. However, the title stuck. Numerous times since I first read it, I have found myself realizing, “Here I am. I’m locked in this room with […]

As Randy and I approached the door to the grocery store, a man who appeared to be in his 30s was coming out the door. He cradled a sack of groceries in his left arm and pushed the door with his right hand. He was wearing jeans and a plaid shirt, his hair was a […]

I got my second Covid vaccination yesterday morning. I will continue to be cautious and wear a mask, but I will breathe a little easier within a couple of weeks. I scheduled nothing today, because I had heard from many that the second shot often takes a physical toll the next day. The toll did […]