Recovery. Sobriety. Living Wise.
“Interdependence is a fact, not an option.” ~ Peter Coyote For the longest time I took comfort in being my own boss. I loved my independence; I thought I was stronger, smarter, more effective when I worked alone. When I worked with others it meant having to make compromises. History, however, proved me wrong. I wasn’t, in fact, stronger, smarter or more effective alone. Quite … Continue reading Give Me Ethics Like Geese
Marsha and I have a number of dear friends engaged in difficult situations. We each have our own way of praying for them, and shared with each other recently how seriously we take these prayers. Our conversation got me curious about the role of prayer in the lives of two individuals who changed the course of American history. Isabella Baumfree was an African American born … Continue reading Does Prayer Have Power?
The other night I had a dream. I was running — from what, I don’t know; to where, I can’t say — but running as fast as I could. The end was hazy. All I know for sure is that I never got away. I never do. I’ve had some version of this dream all my life. But my guess is I’m not alone. If … Continue reading Mending the BIG Memory
The first real job I ever had was delivering newspapers on the north slope of Queen Anne Hill. I was a paper boy for three years and was responsible for my own collections. At the end of each month I would visit each home on my route and announce myself: “Collecting for the Seattle Times!” There were many lessons I learned from my days as a … Continue reading The Real Work of a Paper Boy
“Know thyself.” ~ Socrates In his book on emotional intelligence Daniel Goleman recounts the story of a belligerent samurai who challenges a Zen master to explain the concept of heaven and hell. “The monk replied to him with scorn, ‘You’re nothing but a lout – I can’t waste my time with the likes of you!’ “His very honor attacked, the samurai flew into a rage and, … Continue reading Emotional Intelligence