‘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 […]
Confessional story telling
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 […]
Remembering Aunt Janet
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 […]
“Because we can” doesn’t make it right
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 […]
It depends on how you define “sanity”
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 […]
The climate will not wait for us
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 […]
Lent: Locked in a room with open doors
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 […]
Lent: “Life’s rough”
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 […]
Lent: Things get stirred up, then they settle
I started my day with the thought, “I have nothing to write today.” Well, that wasn’t the true start. The true start was some bleary-eyed sitting with my first cup of coffee. But once I got to the point of rational thought, “I have nothing to write today” was my first conclusion. With that, I […]
Lent: Discovering the cracks
Cracks in the ceiling. These are common in this part of the country. Intense heat during the summer, dry ground, slight shifting of the foundation, and “Behold,” cracks in the ceiling. Yesterday I decided to tackle two such cracks in the entryway of our house. I’ve done it often enough I had some idea of […]