A Beacon of Light

“Not all storms come to disrupt your life. Some come to clear your path.” Paulo Coelho I was in The City again this morning for the second of five funerals I will attend in a two-week period. Like last Friday’s service at Holy Name Church, today’s Mass at Saint Gabriel Church was truly a celebration…

“Writing is its own reward.” Henry Miller In the past eight years, I have published six books. Are they good books? I would like to think so, but that’s not for me to say. Only those who have read my books could make such a claim. Throughout my lifetime, writing has been, and continues to…

“He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own.” Confucius From time to time, we have an opportunity to make a small, but positive contribution to the world. Such an offer has been extended to me, and I would like to extend it to you. On Saturday, April 5th, I…

“The morning will surely come; the darkness will vanish.”  Joyce Rupp This morning, I would like to share a few words by the author of the bestselling book Anchors for the Soul. Joyce Rupp was one of my mother’s favorite writers. Mom gave me a copy of this book of daily inspiration and wisdom in…

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”  Dalai Lama Why are we here? Is it possible that there are individuals in the world today who have not given serious consideration to this fundamental question? I don’t recall when I first pondered…

“Often the future is shaped not by what we remember, but by what we forget.”  Wendy Doniger Forgetfulness is a seriously misunderstood phenomenon. It can be embarrassing to forget someone’s birthday or the name of someone you’ve known for many years. It can be frustrating to forget your sunglasses when you leave home on a…

“The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes.” Frank Lloyd Wright I loved being in my 20’s. The period from 1974 to 1984 was the most transformative era of my life. I unexpectedly began a teaching career in September 1974 when I accepted a position on the faculty at Saint Augustine’s College in the…

“All of the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.” St. Francis of Assisi In the past few years, Kathy and I have increasingly enjoyed the ambiance provided by scented candles in our home. We’ve purchased dozens of them from a number of stores, including Yankee Candle, CVS, Target, and…

“As if you could kill time without injuring eternity.” Henry David Thoreau Once-in-a-lifetime experiences are more common than one might realize. As I reflect on my own life, I recall seeing Senator Robert Kennedy in San Francisco approximately thirty hours before his assassination in June 1968; watching a spectacular sunset in Montego Bay, Jamaica on…

“You must not lose faith in humanity.” Gandhi I have always considered the Santa Clara CalTrain Station parking lot to be a safe place to park a vehicle. The headquarters of the Santa Clara Police Department is located directly across the street from the north end of the lot. Santa Clara University is across The…