Recovery. Sobriety. Living Wise.
On November 7, 2016 songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen died. Earlier, before his passing, Joe Nagy, regular contributor to Just a Thought, penned this wonderful tribute. We share it with you again. I have just finished reading a biography of the Canadian poet and singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. He has accumulated about every award you can get in his profession: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, … Continue reading Tribute to Leonard Cohen (by Joe)
I have a friend who has unsuccessfully battled alcoholism for many years. He has spent months in treatment centers, hours upon hours in counselling, and extended stretches in a 12-Step program. All to no avail. Invariably, he returns to the bottle and self-imposed exile, to the despair of friends and family. Addiction is often wrapped in isolation and loneliness. Addiction becomes a monster, cunning, baffling and powerful. When the … Continue reading Borrowing Light From Another
Some time ago, I attended the funeral of Verdell Trice. Verdell was nicknamed the “Mayor of the West Side” because for more than 50 years he worked to make this desperately poor community in Chicago a better place to live. During the 1970’s I had the honor of working with Verdell on economic and social development programs aimed at improving the living conditions on the … Continue reading Why Bother?
Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.” ~ George Washington As we near another election and grapple with the very threats to our democracy Washington’s words once again burn my ears with the truth they tell and prompt me to another sober reflection on the subject of power. What is it? How should it … Continue reading A Sober Thought on Power
“The real voyage of discovering consists not in seeking new landscapes but having new eyes – Marcel Proust Discovery can be a strange and mystifying endeavor. That which we hope to discover is often not what we actually come to discover. I can think of three illustrations in history that illustrate this truth. Christopher Columbus was commissioned to … Continue reading The Gift of Ignorance