Walking In The Light

Walking early in the morning, I have noticed how the color of things around me changes as the sun begins to rise. When it is still mostly dark with just a hint of light in the eastern sky, the colors I can see are muted. In the circle around a streetlamp, everything is tinted with…

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Risky Business

If you know anything about Oklahoma, you know that the state is known for its tornadoes. Oklahoma is the center of Tornado Alley, a stretch of the central part of the United States between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains, and often ranks at or near the top for total number of tornadoes, total…

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Final Disposition

I attended the funeral of my friend’s father on Friday. Historically, I have not been a fan of funerals in general, but this one was really nice. My friend’s father had served in the military during the Vietnam war, so there was an honor guard present. One of them played “Taps” before they lifted the…

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When Practice Isn’t Practical

My son and I went to the gun range this weekend to practice. Some things are improved simply by repetition. Practicing or rehearsing increases skill and familiarity so that when the time comes to execute or perform, we are sharp and prepared. With shooting, we practice aiming and controlling our breathing by shooting single shots…

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Hallmark Of A Good Life

After we had eaten our turkey, dressing, and potatoes smothered in gravy and had a second piece of pie, it was acceptable to start Christmas. Many of you already know my rule, no Christmas until after Thanksgiving. One unintended consequence of this mandate occurs the Friday after Thanksgiving when we attempt to put up all…

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The Good, The Bad, and The Best

What is good? Art, food, design, music, architecture, business…in basically every creative endeavor we find ourselves assigning value to the work of others. Why are some paintings hanging in museums and others are never seen by anyone other than the artist? Why are some songs by some artists played on the radio incessantly while others…

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Get Fresh Flow

The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times . . . The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile. Mihály Csíkszentmihályi If you identified the title of this musing as a lyric…

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I Can See Clearly Now

I think I know how Johnny Cash felt when he wrote that song. I can see clearly now the rain is goneI can see all obstacles in my wayGone are the dark clouds that had me blindIt’s gonna be a bright sunshiny day As I write this musing, I am near Essex, Montana, on the…

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Gateway

I’ve been thinking about pain a lot lately. The emotional kind. Where it comes from. Why we have it. What I do with it. There is a lot of pain related to what we are having to do these days. I haven’t always been able to face that. I used to ignore and medicate it…

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Jumping Over The Lines

About nine years ago, a neighbor and I painted a labyrinth in the cul-de-sac in front of my house. Our labyrinth is a 54 foot diameter replica of the eleven circuit labyrinth in Chartres Cathedral in France. During this COVID-19 shelter-in-place we decided to repaint the labyrinth, and over the course of several evenings we were able to get…

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