Recovery. Sobriety. Living Wise.
(If you’d like to read past posts, please check out our home page.) ~ Pat Years ago I met a man named Ezra who described to me a nightingale that sang to him during a very dark period in his life. Here’s his story. I met Ezra at a bar mitzvah where Marsha and I were seated next to him and his wife at dinner. He … Continue reading Getting Through the Darkness
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
Recently, my husband and I went to hear Rob Bell, an exceptional Christian author and speaker, who is doing his tour, “An Introduction to Joy.” If you ever get a chance to hear him, you will not regret it. He manages to be hilariously funny while sharing tremendously profound and accessible wisdom. His message really was this: We are all headed to death. Live a … Continue reading Living in Joy (by Eileen)