Recovery. Sobriety. Living Wise.
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
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)
I recently watched the movie, A Christmas Carol (for like the 50th time) and, once again, found my own life visited by the angels of Christmas past, present and future. Oh, how they never fail to get into my head. The truth is it’s easy for me to go on cruise control and become a little numb to the suffering around me. As Marley reminded Scrooge, … Continue reading Dickens Revisited
Remember, if you will, a difficult time in your life. Not a bad difficult time, but a hard difficult. Remember, too, those who walked with you and how, in walking together, you all made it through to the other side. Remember those individuals, for they are special. They are sacred friends. If you need a reference point let me share this story that comes by way … Continue reading Sacred Friendships
Occasionally, we experience transformational moments in our lives when everything changes. Sometimes these moments are big, sometimes they are small, but either way they forever get locked in our memory. I had such a moment twenty years ago when Marsha and I were on a cross-country road trip. The new century had just arrived and we both were emerging from a time that felt like a … Continue reading Recovery of a Marriage