Recovery. Sobriety. Living Wise.
Marsha and I learned an unforgettable lesson when we sold our home in Chicago shortly before our move to the Great Pacific Northwest. I have come to understand it as — The Great Emptying. It started when we asked our realtor friend to give us some advice on preparing our home for sale. A home we’d lived for 24 years. His first suggestion was we … Continue reading The Great Emptying
Woodrow Wilson observed, “If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience.” I had an opportunity to examine my conscience a number of years ago on a trip to Bloomington, Indiana to visit Marsha’s parents. It was there I was introduced to a Yorkshire terrier named Dusty. Dusty was a straightforward … Continue reading Living in Your Own Skin
A while back our dear friend Joe Nagy wrote a deeply moving piece on the death of his brother Richard. It seems particularly poignant now as so many are mourning the loss of loved ones. Dear Pat and Friends, My friend Pat has asked me how I am coping with the death of my younger brother, Richard. He died two months ago in a motorcycle … Continue reading Small Holes in the Universe (by Joe Nagy)
Every now and again we need to be reminded of the homegrown heroes who made a difference in our young lives — those special people who inspired us to be more than we ever thought we could be. Recently, one of my high school mates, Kevin Miller, got to remembering a shooting star from our days growing up on Queen Anne Hill. To capture the … Continue reading Remembering A Homegrown Hero
I recently woke one morning with a feeling of heaviness and unease. I was consumed with thoughts and concerns that colored everything a bit gray. As I try to do each morning, I set off on a walk. It had been raining and everything was wet. In the later spring and summer months, the snails appear, and when it’s wet from rain or sprinklers, they … Continue reading Saved by Connection (by Marsha)