A Beacon of Light

“Much ado about nothing.”Shakespeare I caught a glimpse of the local evening news a couple of days ago. The breaking news of the day was all about the king tides in The City and how elevated sea levels were wreaking havoc along the coastline. I saw a video clip of San Francisco Bay water lapping over…

“Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire  whether or not  they are worthy.”Thomas Merton Despite the wet pavement, the young woman got down on one knee. She looked directly into the eyes of the homeless man sitting on the sidewalk. She smiled, introduced herself, talked with him a bit, and offered him a cup of…

“Music can take  you right back,  years back, to the  very moment certain  things happened  in your life.”   Aretha Franklin During my second visit to Japan, in November 1999, I was invited to visit the school in the coastal town of Sotome (a suburb of Nagasaki) where my host student, Saori, had attended elementary school.…

“You can’t reread a phone call.” Liz Carpenter At lunch on Sunday afternoon, I overheard a comment that caught my attention. I don’t know the context in which it was made, but my sister, Peggy, said, “No one writes letters anymore.” My first instinct was to disagree. Fortunately, I’ve learned that it’s sometimes wise to pause before…

“You don’t choose  your family.  They are God’s  gift to you, as you  are to them.”  Desmond Tutu Some of life’s greatest blessings aren’t things we can purchase, accomplishments we can celebrate, or the possessions we accumulate. They’re people. More specifically, they’re the people who share our journey through life, offering us a sense of…

“There is a  calmness  to a life lived  in gratitude.” Ralph Blum There is a long and cherished tradition of gift-giving at Christmas time, but have you ever thought about sending a gift to someone to express your gratitude at Thanksgiving? Of the seven books I’ve written and published in the past ten years, Through…

“Do not let the  behavior of others  destroy your  inner peace.”  Dalai Lama For many years, local and national news stations have attempted to hook viewers by referring to what is to be covered in the broadcast as BREAKING NEWS. I’ve finally reached the point where I am convinced that the news is no longer…

“It is by chance  that we met,  and by choice  that we  became friends.”   Henri Nouwen One of the greatest blessings of my teaching career was the opportunity to develop friendships with people whose lives and cultures were very different from my own. One such friendship is with Yuichiro Wakiyama of Omura, Japan, a suburb…

“The ultimate luxury  is to be able to  relax and enjoy  your own home.”  Jeff Lincoln There is something wonderfully satisfying about waking up in the morning and realizing that I have absolutely nowhere I need to be. No appointments that can’t be rescheduled. No meetings I need to attend. No errands that can’t wait…

“The unexamined  life is not  worth living.”Socrates Introspection means “to look inside.” It is the practice of examining one’s thoughts, feelings, words, and actions, and considering how they affect our own life and the lives of those around us. For much of my adult life, I’ve focused my attention outward — teaching, coaching, mentoring, parenting,…