A Beacon of Light

“No good deed goes unpunished.”  Brendan Gill It was a beautiful day — Sunday, May 19, 2024, the second day of the annual Downtown Campbell Boogie Festival. Spirits were high. Attendance was excellent. The performers, for the most part, were quite good. The smells emanating from the various vendor booths serving everything from grilled kabobs…

“There is nothing in the world so good as good neighbors.”  Laura Ingalls Wilder It is often said that the value of real estate is determined by three factors: location, location, and location. While that might be a clever comment, it’s anything but true. Certainly the location of a piece of property is a consideration,…

“A friend may be waiting behind a stranger’s face.”  Maya Angelou It was so easy when I was younger. In my early childhood, I could walk up to another young person in the sandbox at the park and innocently ask, “Can I play with you?” It was a simple question, and the intention of the…

“Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”  Berthold Auerbach The City of Campbell, California is alive and well. Tucked away in a cozy corner of the Santa Clara Valley, it provides a respite from the hectic pace of what is now commonly referred to as Silicon Valley. Once known for its…

“If a story is in you, it has to come out.”  William Faulkner I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a number of people recently who have written manuscripts, or who plan to write something, and have questions about how to get their work published. I’ve met even more people, however, who have mentioned that they…

“What one loves in childhood stays in their heart forever.”  Mary Jo Putney A local author, Ann Lamott, has created a new website to encourage writers to write. She sends out writing prompts for those who need a bit of guidance to get them started. Normally, I’m not in need of such urging. I encounter…

“A plant is the most patient and forgiving teacher.”  Srikumar Rao When I first met Kathy back in August 1984, to welcome me to my new job at Saint Lawrence Parish in Santa Clara, she gave me a beautiful plant for my office. It was a nice addition to what was otherwise a fairly bland…

“Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.”  Oscar Wilde Stephanie’s story was heartbreaking. She spoke of the violence in her home during her formative years. She described the dangers of the constant gang activity in the neighborhood in which her family home was located, which included the death of her younger…

“If I know what love is, it is because of you.”  Hermann Hesse In our home this morning, we will celebrate Mother’s Day. Our three boys and their families will be here for a feast of breakfast burritos from La Victoria Taqueria in San José. There will be a dozen of us altogether. I’m fairly…

“My favorite place to vacation is anyplace by the ocean.”  Nina Arianda It’s been a brief getaway, and now it’s ending. I’m sitting at a small table in Los Angeles International Airport waiting to board my flight back to San José. The duration of this visit was ideal — four days. Any shorter would have…