Like many others, I was stunned by the news of the violent attack at the offices of the French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, on the morning of January 7, 2014. Two masked gunmen armed with assault weapons and a rocket launcher forced entry to the magazine’s offices. In the end,… Read More »Satire. Freedom of Expression. Prejudice. Charlie Hebdo.
It’s a striking image: a wild, dominant wolf, alone and on its own seeking prey while ruling its territory. This metaphor is not just popular among young men who seek to define themselves as rugged individuals. The lone wolf is also something of an analogy for a strong leader, a… Read More »The Myth of the Lone Wolf
New Year’s resolutions. I almost hate to admit this publicly, but I really don’t see the point to New Year’s resolutions. How many people make resolutions? How few people keep their resolutions past the end of January? A couple years ago, I wrote about using goal theory to help succeed… Read More »A New Year and Resolutions
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 …
It’s like it happened yesterday. I woke up Christmas morning. It was still dark outside. No one else was awake in the house. I made my way from my bedroom, through the living room, to the dining room where my family always placed the Christmas tree. My eyes must have… Read More »Yes, I Believe in Santa Claus
I suspect that I’m like most people. While I can see that there are many serious problems in the world, I often feel that it’s beyond my ability to change any of them. What’s one person able to do? Often, many people feel powerless in the face of the complex… Read More »The Christmas Story: Lessons from Ordinary Lives
The events of the last two weeks have given me a great deal to think about. Two weeks ago, the country was poised in vigil waiting the announcement from the Grand Jury in St. Louis on whether changes would be made against Officer Darren Wilson for the shooting of Michael… Read More »Advent and the Challenge of Ferguson
Thanksgiving Dinner: friends and family gather; recipes are shared; people travel great distances to be with loved ones. There’s something unique and special about the American Thanksgiving holiday. I have fond memories of Thanksgiving from my childhood, with my mother making a unique stuffing for the turkey as well as… Read More »A Difficult Conversation for Thanksgiving Dinner
