A Beacon of Light

“The faith that anyone couldmove from rags to richeswas once at the core ofthe American Dream.”Robert Reich Since the founding of our country, the definition of the American Dream has been constantly evolving. The term means different things to different people. The American Dream in 2025 seems to be considerably different from my understanding of…

“The years teach muchwhich the daysnever knew.” Ralph Waldo Emerson I must admit that, eleven years ago today, I did not understand how becoming a grandparent would change my life for the better. My eldest son, Tom, and his wife, Hillaray, gave birth to their first child, Liam, on September 8, 2014. There was certainly…

“Life is a precious gift —a gift we often take forgranted until it isthreatened.” Lecrae I don’t think I’ve ever had a true “near death experience.” In fact, only one occasion comes to mind which make me think that I might have been closer to death than I realized at the time. It happened in…

“The soul is healedby beingwith children.”Fyodor Dostoevsky First there was Liam. Then Emily. A few years later, Penny was born, followed shortly by Scarlett. Finally, Henry entered the world. Five precious grandchildren. Five unique personalities. Five sets of interests and abilities. Each one different in their own way. Yet all five of these young ones…

“Thunder is good,thunder is impressive;but it is lightningthat does the work.”Mark Twain Kathy, and her traveling companions on the KLM flight from San Francisco to Amsterdam, received quite a greeting as they descended into the Amsterdam airport. Without warning, there was a loud “Clunk!” sound. This was not a sound that could be easily ignored.…

“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…