Recovery. Sobriety. Living Wise.
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
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” — Marcel Proust My own voyage of discovery has taught me to fix my eyes not on the peaks and valleys of life, but on the horizon where the mind is opened, the heart is restored, and the soul comes in contact with — awe. This past year tested … Continue reading The Power of Awe
Pat and I recently made a major shift in our daily routine. For the first time in our life together, we have stopped watching the news on TV every night. This is a huge change, especially for Pat, whose TV news-watching habits date back to childhood. We made the change partly from exhaustion — the events of the past year had ground us down — … Continue reading Taking a Break From the News (by Marsha)