“In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.” — Anne Frank This audaciously hopeful declaration has inspired and grounded me my entire life. I have a foggy recollection of my parents sharing the quote…
To bake something from scratch means to start with the basic raw ingredients rather than relying on boxed mixes and such. The term “from scratch” comes from racing and from sports like wrestling, referring to a literal “scratch,” a mark,…
A couple of weeks ago, I was working at my desk, trying to stay focused, but also handling several other minor pieces of business simultaneously Texts and emails were lighting up my devices periodically throughout, and I was meeting those…
“Everyone has a purpose in life and a unique talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal…
I’m pretty adept at coming up with a positive take on circumstances, meeting the turns and twists of life with optimism and hope. (At least enough optimism and hope, most days, to keep myself going.) I believe that the Universe…
“A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with freedom.”— Bob Dylan I’ve been going to yoga again, once or twice a week. [Hot yoga, which is something I swore I’d never repeat after a brutal experience about…
I’ve been enjoying an etymology podcast lately: Words Unravelled, with Rob Watts and Jess Zafarris. He’s British and she’s American, and they both have a wonderful knowledge and love of language. Usually they start with a broad topic — e.g.…
“The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and then thinking that having problems is a problem.” — Theodore Isaac Rubin We’ve all got problems, plenty of them. Personal stuff, shared stuff, global stuff… Significant…
We were setting up for Sunday service a couple of weeks ago, with the usual bustle of preparation — sweeping, brewing coffee, unfolding chairs, stuffing songbooks, setting the lights and music. My friend Bryn was arranging materials on the information…
A few weeks ago, I was scheduled to meet a new patient, a lady with advanced dementia who lives in a memory-care facility. I called her daughter beforehand to see if she was able to be there for this introduction,…