How did you find the key to your life’s song? A little story on how I found mine. I was blessed with an enlightened aunt, a Catholic nun with the Sisters of Charity Providence. Born Annabelle, she took the name Sister Mary Audrey. She was a wise woman, raised during the Depression in extraordinarily difficult circumstances. She learned many lessons from her life and … Continue reading Living Your Questions
“When so many are lonely as seem to be lonely, it would be inexcusably selfish to be lonely alone.” ~ Tennessee Williams This is a hard reflection for me to share because it calls to mind my times of deep loneliness. I had people to whom I was related in thought and action, but few people to whom I was truly connected in heart and … Continue reading Curing Loneliness
“If you aren’t in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?” ~ T.S. Eliot There are days when life seems much too unmanageable, When the ‘fate gods‘ have all conspired against me, When my powerlessness really pisses me off, When the Serenity Prayer is wholly undecipherable to me. Days in which it seems I’m in way, way over my head. On … Continue reading And the Wisdom to Know the Difference
I celebrated my 32nd sober birthday on June 14. On this day each year I take a pause to reflect on who I am, where I came from, and what I’ve become. It’s not a day for “attaboys” or self congratulatory talk. On the contrary, it’s a day I remember that years are only accumulated days, single moments aggregated over time. For me sober … Continue reading A Thought on Turning 32
Some time ago Marsha and I watched Henry Fonda in the movie Young Mr. Lincoln. Afterward, I wondered whether we would ever again see anyone with the character of Old Abe. Then I wondered, would I even recognize such a person if he or she crossed my path? What struck me about Lincoln’s story was how little of his background would have suggested his rise … Continue reading Seeing Humanity in the Strangers Among Us