The stairs stretched up in front of me: 154 of them. The climb is ten stories high. Some collegiate athletes run up the steps as part of their training. Mine was a measured pace, not just because of age and limited lung capacity, but also as I slowly walked the… Read More »What Life Might Have Been
Here’s something you probably don’t know. Almost all living organisms have the ability to hear. Yes, all animals have the sense of hearing. So do plants. There are creatures are called “extremophiles.” They live in extreme conditions like at the bottom of the ocean in total darkness, in the artic… Read More »To Listen is To Survive
I consider myself to be fortunate. While I’ve moved around the country over the years, I’ve been able to maintain a network of close friends whom I value. I’ve known some of my friends for 35 or 40 years. I am thankful for those intimate friends. They enrich my life… Read More »When Letting Go Means Saying Good-bye
The conversation caught me off guard. I was stopped by a couple of my students during a recent residency course. (I teach adults – usually ages 35 to 55 – in a doctoral program in psychology.) “We had a meeting about you,” was the opening line. Trying to be of… Read More »Am I Woke? Am I an Ally?
There are times in my life when it’s been easy to spiral and I find myself in a dark place. I wouldn’t call it depression. I’ve experienced depression. This is something different. When the spiraling happens, I find myself in what seems to be a deep pit. It can last… Read More »Spiraling Down to a Dark Place
Gratitude. There are many ways people remind themselves to be thankful for the blessings of life. Some people pause before meals to pray a blessing and offer thanks. There are others who use affirmations throughout the day focused on gratitude. From time to time on social media, I see various… Read More »Living With Gratitude
Facebook and Twitter: those are social media platforms I mostly use. LinkedIn – I have an account, but don’t find it very helpful for my work. While my younger friends all use Instagram, I haven’t gotten on to it. Perhaps that’s because I don’t take many pictures, either of myself… Read More »Spirituality: It’s in the Ordinary
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
