Recovery. Sobriety. Living Wise.
I realize the current pandemic has placed a strain on the lives of everyone. Marsha and I extend our thoughts and prayers to each of you. ~ Pat and Marsha ……….. Recently, as we were getting ready for bed, Marsha mused out loud, “I wonder if the Coronavirus will interfere with war.” What a fascinating question. Think about it. Where this virus interferes with our … Continue reading Time to Stop and Listen
(If you’d like to read past posts, please check out our home page.) ~ Pat Years ago I met a man named Ezra who described to me a nightingale that sang to him during a very dark period in his life. Here’s his story. I met Ezra at a bar mitzvah where Marsha and I were seated next to him and his wife at dinner. He … Continue reading Getting Through the Darkness
I recently heard of the passing of Norma Johnston, a tribal elder of the Swinomish Nation and a friend of mine. Norma helped me get beyond my religious bigotry. Here’s that story. In 1988 I bought a cabin on tribal land that I leased from Norma’s family. The cabin wasn’t far from La Conner, beautifully nestled in a quiet cove on Puget Sound a mile … Continue reading When I Lost My Bigotry
As the grandson of Irish immigrants I loved listening to my grandfather tell stories. Grandpa spoke in a deep Irish brogue with delightful, strange inflections. His sentences always ended on a higher note than they began. But what I loved most was the illustrative way he used words to make a point. One summer while we were visiting my grandparents in Soap Lake, Washington, Dad … Continue reading The Irish Just Know How To Say It
No topic has been of more consequence to me over the years than that of becoming a man. Perhaps it’s because I labored over my own difficult journey into maturity, or maybe it’s because I got to be Erin’s stepfather and uncle to some wonderful nephews. Whatever the reason, I’ve given a lot of thought to how boys grow into men. I’ve come to believe … Continue reading On Becoming a Man (Like Frank)