The advice comes in different forms. It’s very pronounced in the Christian tradition. The New Testament letter to the ancient church in Philippi (chapter 2, verse 3) says it this way: “Think of others as better than yourself.” Throughout the letter to the ancient church in Rome, Paul writes repeatedly… Read More »The Problem of Ego in Spiritual Growth
There’s something truly remarkable about it. I find myself watching for a few minutes each morning. I open the blinds to the window in my study and look out to the yard and find six or eight squirrels scurry about as a sun comes over the horizon. It’s not that… Read More »The Wonder of Being
Of all the people with whom I’ve worked, Rosie is someone who left a clear impression on me. If you saw Rosie on the street, you’d probably give her some extra room and avoid eye contact. But if you had the opportunity to know her, she was a kind and… Read More »From Fear to Possibility
One of the lessons many of us learned at a young age was to say please and thank-you. While teaching a child these simple words is meant to help the child learn to be polite in their interactions with others, expressing thanks — gratitude — is a significant attribute for… Read More »Leaning Into Gratitude
A familiar tone sounded on my smartphone. An email arrived. I glanced and saw that it was from the public library. I had been on a waiting list for a book. It was now available. As soon as I could, I went online and had the copy sent to my… Read More »A Comedian and Racism: Wow!
If you’re like me, you live most of your life with an acute awareness of time. Minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months organize appointments, deadlines, and opportunities for routines like sharing meals or engaging in spiritual practice. Everything is governed by time. Or is it? We know that time is… Read More »Time and the New Year
It was quite unexpected. Her mother fell on a patch of ice the week before Thanksgiving. The broken hip was a concern, but following surgery, she was admitted to rehab. It seemed as though all was well. But then there were complications. She died about a week ago. The family… Read More »So, This Is Christmas …
Sir John Polkinghorne, the renowned particle physicist who, as a second career, became an Anglican priest, tells a story that’s very insightful. The members of his first parish weren’t sure if they would be able to understand sermons delivered by this very accomplished scientist. Dr. John Polkinghorne quickly changed that… Read More »The Truth about the Christmas Stories
