I talk to my friend every few weeks. We met over twenty years ago when we lived in the same city. Now we live at opposite ends of the country, so our contact is mostly by phone and email. Every few weeks, we have a long conversation in which we… Read More »Finding Hope
“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” That’s what philosopher Fredrick Nietzsche wrote about 150 years ago. This sentiment is echoed in Kelley Clarkson’s hit song, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).” I recently spent time with a young woman. While she’s bright, professionally engaged, and living… Read More »If It Doesn’t Kill You It Makes You Stronger?
Most of us were raised with a set of values. As children, we were taught that we should share our toys, play nicely with our friends, show respect to the adults in charge (like teachers or the bus driver), and get along with others. We were taught to hold the… Read More »Values to Live By
It’s not uncommon for people to associate spirituality with positive feelings and an optimistic outlook on life. Words often connected with spirituality include peace, healing, wholeness, happiness, contentment, and fulfillment. Through spiritual practice, we hope to experience peace, healing, wholeness, happiness, contentment, and fulfillment. However, it doesn’t always work that… Read More »Spirituality and Difficult Times in Life
I’ve experienced many different kinds of transitions in my life. I’ve lived in Johnstown, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Morgantown, WV; Miami Beach, FL; Tucson, AZ; St. Louis, MO; and Atlanta, GA. Movements from city to city represent one kind of transition I’ve experienced. I’ve held many different jobs: hospital chaplain, pastor,… Read More »Transitions and Transfigurations
It’s difficult not to be discouraged. There’s no way to escape it. The problems of the world are huge. It seems like many people are hell-bent to make them worse. In the US, the pandemic is out of control and political corruption is at an all-time high. These serious concerns… Read More »Discouraging Times: Can We Say All Will Be Well?
It’s a common problem. It’s so common that in the 1990s, the late-night TV show Saturday Night Live created a skit about people addressing this problem. With Al Franken playing the character Stuart Smalley, Stuart attempted to convince himself that he was good enough, smart enough, and that “Doggone it,… Read More »Are You Good Enough?
The stream of news continues unbroken: the pandemic spreads in the US, Brazil, Latin America, and Africa while parts of Asia see another spike in diagnoses. At the same time, people live with unrelenting oppression in North Korea and Iran with autocratic leaders in many others. In many parts of… Read More »Peace in Our World; Peace in Our Lives
