A Beacon of Light

We’ve all encountered the icon — the spinning wheel notifying us that what we’d like to be doing on our computer cannot be done quite yet. In a world where we’ve come to expect technology to be instantly available to us, this can be a frustrating experience. According to PC Magazine, “In streaming audio or…

“A wound does not heal by being told to heal.”  Joe Primo Dealing with wounds from our past seems to be a universal experience. Despite the fact that each person’s life is a gift, life inevitably involves challenges, suffering, loss, and grief. Coping with these realities can, for some, be overwhelming. To make matters worse,…

“It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.”  Steve Jobs When I was in my twenties, I was confident that I had a long life ahead of me. I was healthy, active, and optimistic. I played a lot of basketball and tennis, rode my ten-speed bike for both transportation and…

“Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river.”  Creedence Clearwater Revival Kathy and I woke up this morning in The Dalles, Oregon aboard the riverboat American West. The boat departed The Dalles at 8:45 A.M. for an all-day cruise up the Columbia River. We will dock just after midnight in Richland, Washington where, tomorrow, we will celebrate…

“Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.”  Dalai Lama There was a time when I loved to travel. During my early childhood, my family used to spend a week or so each summer vacationing in Boulder Creek, then, in later years, on Cobb Mountain in Lake County. We also took two road trips…

My name is Kevin Carroll. I was born and raised in San Francisco, California, where I attended Saint Ignatius College Preparatory. I am a graduate of both Santa Clara University and the University of San Francisco. Following a 40-year career in teaching and pastoral ministry, I launched a new career as a writer and speaker.…

“Pray as if God will take care of all; act as if all is up to you.”  Ignatius of Loyola Forty years ago today, my brother, Tom, was ordained to the Jesuit priesthood at Saint Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco. It goes without saying that he was strongly influenced by his experience as a student…

It was a perfect storm. A Friday in June. Spectacular weather forecast for the weekend. Road construction. Egotistical drivers, most in Teslas and BMWs, attempting to impress other drivers with their Indy 500 racing skills on a congested highway. More road construction. Cars, trucks, motorcycles. A horrific accident which required closing two lanes of I-80…

“It isn’t what you do, but how you do it.”  John Wooden It’s a morning I will never forget. In June 1974, with the resident students at Bellarmine College Prep having moved out of the dormitory for the summer, I had the responsibility of being the live-in liaison between the school and outside groups that…

“Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again.”  Joseph Campbell After graduating from elementary school in June 1968, I attended Saint Ignatius High School at Turk & Stanyan Streets in San Francisco. In the fall of 1969, which was the beginning of my sophomore year, the school moved from the Stanyan…