It was a Monday morning. I had begun my shift at the hospital as the pager sounded. “Report to the ICU. There is a case for you.” That was 1981. I was a hospital chaplain then. I was called to provide pastoral support to the first person with AIDS I… Read More »Lesson from a Different Pandemic
In the mid 1980’s, I read a novel by May Sarton: Anger. Because her autobiographic work, The Journal of a Solitude, touched me deeply, I hoped her novel exploring expressions of anger would help me sort out my own experience of anger. Anger is an emotion which has complicated my… Read More »Anger: A Signal for Change
In a previous posting, Does God Care?, I shared my perspective on whether God chooses winners and losers in human affairs based on our prayers. Examples included praying for a particular political candidate or sports team to win. In response to that entry, I received a few comments that essentially… Read More »Does God Answer Prayer?
As I entered the church for Sunday morning’s service, I noticed about a dozen people gathered around a large display. As I moved closer, I recognized the cloth in front of them: it was a panel from the Names Project, also known as the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The Names Project… Read More »World AIDS Day
A life insurance policy is a contract with an insurance company. In exchange for premium payments, the insurance company provides a lump-sum payment, known as a death benefit, to beneficiaries upon the insured’s death. Typically, life insurance is chosen based on the needs and goals of the owner. Term life… Read More »– Life Insurance – Finding Life in Critical Illness
I sat at my desk one evening reviewing a mailing list. I compared it with addresses in my address book and rolodex. After about an hour or so of double-checking, I counted: since the previous Christmas, twenty-seven people to whom I sent cards last year were now dead. In all… Read More »Rediscovering Life: The Cycle of Grief
Global leaders have pledged to work towards universal access to HIV and AIDS treatment, prevention and care, recognizing these as fundamental human rights. Valuable progress has been made in increasing access to HIV and AIDS services, yet greater commitment is needed around the world if the goal of universal access… Read More »World AIDS Day 2010: Universal Access and Human Rights
In the mid 1980’s, I read a novel by May Sarton: Anger. Because her autobiographic work, The Journal of a Solitude, touched me deeply, I hoped her novel exploring expressions of anger would help me sort out my own experience of anger. Anger is an emotion which has complicated my… Read More »Anger: A Signal for Change