A Beacon of Light

“My goal is to share good news.I want people to know thathappiness is possible.”Sister Thea Bowman Many people I know are suffering. Some are dealing with potentially life-threatening illnesses. Some are grieving the death of a loved one. A few are struggling with non-life-threatening conditions which leave them dealing with varying degrees of physical pain…

“Find a purpose to serve,not a lifestyle to live.”Criss Jami, Author “Who am I now?” I’m fairly certain this is a common question pondered by retirees who spent thirty to forty years of their life identifying themselves with what they did for a living rather than who they were as individuals. Some seem better equipped…

“Sharing food with another human beingis an intimate act that should notbe indulged in lightly.”~ M.F.K. Fisher I didn’t exactly forget that today is Valentine’s Day. I mean, I knew that yesterday’s date was February 13th. I knew that I would be taking Penny to her preschool class this morning and that she would have…

“Life doesn’t come with an instruction book.That’s why we have fathers.” H. Jackson Browne My Dad enjoyed the game of golf. He occasionally watched television coverage of professional tournaments on Sunday afternoons. He spoke highly of his golf heroes, which included the legendary Ben Hogan, as well as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Ken Venturi, Al…

“I write to discover what I know.”Flannery O’Connor As much as I would like to do so, I cannot, in good conscience, refer to myself as a bestselling author. Yes, I’ve published three books. This is an accomplishment in which I take great satisfaction. More than twenty years ago, I identified “Writing & Publishing a…

“You will find yourself in spacesno one thought you would be in,including you.When you get there,and you will get there,trust that you belong there.” Nakeia Homer Throughout my life, there have been many times when I questioned the validity of who I was and what I was doing. I honestly believed that if people actually…

“Sharing tales of those we’ve lostis how we keep fromreally losing them.” Mitch Albom In reference to my mother’s passing last August, a good friend asked me the other day, “How are you doing?” I’m grateful to say that my response was brief, but honest: “I’m doin’ okay!” For most people, the death of a…

I began my formal education when my parents enrolled me in Tiny Tots at South Sunset Playground in the fall of 1958. Mrs. Virginia Bartleson was my teacher. Having successfully completed the rigorous requirements for graduation, I moved on to kindergarten at Ulloa Annex (38th & Ulloa) the following year. There were two kindergarten teachers…

Thomas Merton’s quote is more than just an invitation. It is a challenge to all of us to do exactly what the Gospel message calls us to do. It’s not always easy.

“Be kind whenever possible.It is always possible.” Dalai Lama For sixteen years (2006-2022), I blogged regularly on the importance of gratitude in one’s life. In 2017, I published my first book on the same topic. During these years, I became increasingly aware that there is a related topic of equal, perhaps even greater importance: Kindness.…