TO CHAOS AND BACK
Once upon a time, a carefree little wave was coursing through the open sea. The sun was shining overhead, and her surface shimmered with its golden reflections. The sky was clear and blue, with a light breeze and fluffy clouds.…
WORTH THE WEIGHT
I’ve always liked the Zen parable that says, “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” Spiritual transformation changes everything. And… the work remains. We still have daily tasks and sometimes drudgery. Life can be darned…
WHAT’S THE STAKE?
I was visiting with a hospice patient last week, a very sweet lady who’s been on our service for over a year. She’s close to 100, easy-going and pleasant as can be, in no discomfort. Just slowly, slowly, slowly fading…
SAVE THE DAY
A couple of weeks ago, shortly after the death of great writer and nature lover Wendell Berry, The Atlantic published a sweet piece by Joe Fassler, entitled “Why Wendell Berry Didn’t Worry About the Future.” The article's writer explores a…
ACCORDING TO PLAN
You know me, I’m a planner. I order, organize, and schedule everything I possibly can. If it isn’t nailed down, I’ll nail it down, doggone it. If I encounter anything up in the air, I won’t relax until it’s on…
THANK YOU, DOLLY 🦋
Oh, my friends. Along with all of you and everyone, I’ve been grieving the passing of Dolly Parton. She left us on Tuesday, and the world seems a dimmer place without her. I've been trying not to think about her…
WILLY-NILLY
“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” — E.M. Forster The term “willy-nilly” means things happening in a disorderly or disorganized way, without…
TINY GRASS IS DREAMING
A lawn sign appeared a few years ago, becoming a popular meme across the internet: Chinese characters with the quaint English transcription — “Do Not Disturb: Tiny Grass is Dreaming.” I don’t know if the translation is really accurate. I read…
THE FOGGIEST IDEA
For a few years, I’ve been seeing more and more references to the Dunning-Kruger Effect, usually in articles about how we relate to facts and information in this political climate, in our age of media overload. Though I had a…
HOSTS WITH THE MOST
I’m in rehearsals again, for a beautiful musical called Come From Away. It’s a story of kindness, generosity, and radical hospitality, based on real events. On September 11, 2001, after hijackers crashed planes into the World Trade Center and the…