A Beacon of Light

“All that we deeply lovebecome a part of us.”Helen Keller How often do you wish you could pick up the phone for just one more call to someone you love who is no longer with you? The Great Highway, a 2.3-mile roadway which paralleled the Pacific Ocean in San Francisco, was recently closed to motor…

“San Francisco itself is art. Every block is a short story. Every hill a novel. Every home a poem.”  William Saroyan A friend pointed out to me the other day that I’ve been blogging quite a bit recently about San Francisco. I hadn’t really given this much thought, but she’s right. She inquired as to…

What’s there to say? Yet another school shooting, this time at a Catholic elementary school in Minnesota — while the children, their teachers, and a number of elderly parishioners were attending the first school Mass of the new academic year. How does one make sense of such a cowardly, senseless act of violence?  Perhaps now…

“Coffee smells likefreshly ground heaven.”Jessi Lane Adams I don’t drink coffee. I don’t like the taste. I do, however, love the smell of freshly-brewed coffee. It reminds me of my childhood when, after a number of hospital stays, my paternal grandmother would stay in our home for a few weeks before returning to her own…

One Last Touch Mom was sleeping in her bed,we knew the end was near.Although she knew that death would come,she had no cause for fear. For Mom had lived a wondrous life,with joys and heartaches both.It seems each challenge raised the barpromoting faith and growth. As she progressed throughout the years,her courage slowly grew.She stood…

“The family is thefirst essential cellof human society.”  Pope John XXIII There’s a clever little sign I’ve seen in a number of novelty stores through the years. It reads:  Grandma & Grandpa’s House:Where cousins become best friends. I’ve always appreciated that quote. It certainly makes me think back to the 1960s when my siblings and…

I believe that there are times when a blog post should be like a good Sunday homily: the fewer words, the better. For this reason, I’m going to let the message of this image speak for itself. Have a great day!

Throughout my lifetime, I have had the pleasure of meeting people — lots of people. I’ve met them in my neighborhood, in schools I’ve attended, in workplaces, at parties or other social events, in coffee shops, in my travels around the world, and in my day-to-day comings and goings. I cannot pinpoint exactly when it…

“The churning, churning,churning of the wavesagainst the shore revives me— makes me whole.” Nallén (poet) I’m sitting at an umbrella-covered table on the patio deck of a hotel in Santa Cruz, California. The air temperature is in the mid-70º range, with a gentle breeze. The view… ah, the view… is a peek at a local beach,…