Recovery. Sobriety. Living Wise.
[Originally published June 10, 2017] Some time ago Marsha and I watched Henry Fonda in the movie Young Mr. Lincoln. Afterward, I wondered whether we would ever again see anyone with the character of Old Abe. Then I wondered, would I even recognize such a person if he or she crossed my path? What struck me about Lincoln’s story was how little of his background … Continue reading Seeing Humanity in the Strangers Among Us
A new year has arrived and I’ve been waiting for a spark of inspiration to launch me into 2019. Quite frankly, its been hard. Inspirational moments have been hard to come by. I’ve felt like a nomad in a parched desert in search of a watering hole, only able to find bitter wells. I find my spirit has soured, turned in on itself, and tricked … Continue reading Getting Out of Your Head
Sometimes in my life I have stumbled into lessons that seem unusual and unconventional. On my recent trip to Mumbai, India I found myself a student once again. The topic was acceptance. I had returned after almost three years for what I hoped was a final round of major dental work, to an exceptional clinic and an oral surgeon who had become a friend. India taught me much … Continue reading Return to India
My good friend Hiraman Gavai offers some thoughts in this morning’s post. I met Hiraman many years ago in Brussels when we both worked for the same non-profit. He currently resides in Pune, India with his dear wife Mangala. While we’ve been separated by distance we speak a common language, one the writer Henry David Thoreau calls the language of meaning. Hiraman and I caught up again … Continue reading Friendship
What happens when relationships are irreparably broken and beyond the reach of reconciliation or grace? Sometimes, they may be over. But sometimes, I have discovered, they can be unaccountably restored. A foundation of the 12 steps: “God did for me what I could not do for myself.” I deeply appreciate the term “higher power” embraced by 12-step programs of all stripes. It allows everyone, from the atheist … Continue reading Reconciliation