Musings
The Eyes Have It
I wish I could see like a chameleon, but I wouldn’t want to look like one. They have panoramic binocular eyes which can move independently from each other giving them 360° vision. That kind of sight would be very helpful to a parent! Each creatures’ eyes are uniquely suited to their way of life. Eagles can…
Read MoreNo Temple Made With Hands
Last week, among the granite walls and centuries-old trees of the Yosemite Valley, I found myself thinking about connections. Seeing trees that are older than our civilization and a sky full of stars that are quadrillions of miles away, I felt small and insignificant. We worry about trivial things every day. Buildings, organizations, plans, accomplishments.…
Read MoreThe Right Question
I am writing from the west coast today. My surroundings and my companions create a sense of serenity that is refreshing and rejuvenating. Only a few days ago, I was listening to the story of a woman who spent much of her life in danger and in pain. I am acutely conscious of how blessed I…
Read MoreHonest Hearts, Honest Actions
When I walk in the morning, I pass a house where a cat lives. Most mornings, the cat comes out to greet me. It rubs up against my leg and seems to be glad I am there, but this is not the most likely explanation. Cats love to rub up against people and things. This…
Read MoreNothing In The End
He that is hard to please may get nothing in the end. Aesop I like dogs. We have two, Roscoe, a mutt we found on the street, and Dixie, a pit bull mix we adopted from a shelter. Both have their oddities but also have a trait common to most dogs; they are easy to…
Read MoreFake Plastic Trees
Are you tired? Not “I only got three hours of sleep last night…” tired, but weary, soul heavy, worn-out tired. Have you ever used a paper towel to scrub the stove? It works for a few swipes, but then it rapidly starts falling apart and turning to mush. The paper towel wasn’t meant to be…
Read MoreTrue Leaders Gone
True hunting is overNo herd to followWithout game, men prey on each otherThe family weakens by the bite we swallow – “Three Days”, Jane’s Addiction I watched a very disturbing thing happen on social media recently. A post by someone I know and care dearly about became the subject of a…
Read MoreInto The Storm
What are you afraid of? Not the small, temporary things. I’m afraid of spiders, but that doesn’t alter the course of my life in any real or meaningful way (unless not being willing to go camping except in winter months is meaningful). I’m talking about the big things—unanticipated change, being alone and lonely, failure, rejection,…
Read MoreGary, Indiana, Gary, Indiana, Gary, Indiana…
I made a significant mistake recently. I went to Gary, Indiana. I know, you’re thinking, “How can Gary, Indiana be a mistake?” Gary, Indiana of “Music Man” fame. Gary, Indiana, birthplace of Michael Jackson. Gary, Indiana, home of Robert Kearns (inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper system.) Turns out things haven’t gone so well for…
Read MoreShow Don’t Tell
I visited a very dear person in my life this weekend. While travelling, I was struck by how often we are told to do (or not do) something but are rarely shown. Often the very people who tell us what to do, fail to follow the instructions they are giving everyone else. Telling people what…
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