Recovery. Sobriety. Living Wise.
My friend John was a quadriplegic and permanent resident at King County Hospital. I met John in 1962 when I had a Seattle Times paper route in the hospital. He would buy both the morning and evening papers from me each day. I was 14 years old and brimming with adolescent angst. When John was 14 he often could be found on the Columbia River … Continue reading Why Worry?
I’m delighted to reprise a thought from Joe Nagy, one of my favorite writers. Joe, a former literature and writing professor, contributed this thought on zombies. Like me, I’m sure you’ll find it “strangely” interesting. Enjoy. At the start of this semester, I asked my literature students to attend one academic presentation by mid-term, and write a two-paragraph response, reflecting on what they learned. They … Continue reading Zombies
A while back I decided I couldn’t rightfully make sense of my life in any meaningful way other than as miraculous. Sure, on occasion, I’ve tried to convince myself I’m the primary author of my miracles, but when pressed to explain how, I can’t. There are just too many random happenings outside my control that can be only explained as miraculous. The common thread in … Continue reading The of Miracle of Showing Up
There are times when getting from here to there is no easy matter; when the route is unclear and obstacles seem insurmountable. There’s an old saying: “The only difference between a stepping stone and a stumbling block is how we use them.” Will you walk in between the stones with a mind to missing them, or walk on top of the stones with a … Continue reading Stepping Stones or Stumbling Blocks?
I once thought wisdom was the exclusive domain of old folks but I’ve discovered some of my most important lessons have been taught by the very young. One such lesson came from my nephew Jack when he was all of six years old. I was newly sober and still stinging from a number of painful losses. At the time I kept pretty much to myself as I felt … Continue reading The Practice of Listening