A Beacon of Light

“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been one month since my last confession. I have been doing, um, some things… with one of the girls in my class which the Bible says I should not be doing.” “Oh, my,” responded Monsignor Connolly. “Johnny McCarthy, I know this is you. Did you do…

“The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow I love rainy days — not the annoying soft drizzle which sprays the earth with a fine mist, but a consistent, prolonged downpour which cleans the air, disinfects the trees, washes the pavement, and nourishes my soul.…

Christmas Day 2022 has come and gone. Has this year been better than previous years? I guess it depends upon who you ask. Three years into the Covid-19 pandemic, we’re still dealing with alarming surges in positive cases across the country and around the world. Politics is still politics. The economy has been a blessing…

This video showed up on my Facebook feed today. Thanks to my former student, Elaine (Sobejana) Chatterton, for sharing it. Sorry for the brief commercial that precedes the story. From CBS News (click this)

It’s been a busy day around here today. Normally, on Wednesdays, we take care of Penny and Scarlett. The highlight of our day is “Story Time” at the West Valley branch of the San José Library. I take Penny while Scarlett stays home with Kathy and takes a nap. This morning, Kathy received a phone…

“We’re all just walking each other home.”~ Ram Dass Being there for someone is one of the most human things we can do. When a person we know and care for experiences a loss in their life, it is common, and certainly appropriate, that we respond with compassion… and presence. This loss might be the…

The research is clear. Children who are introduced to books at an early age have an advantage for a lifetime. And while the academic advantages can be cited through research, there’s something even more valuable. Throughout their lifetime, children who are read to by loving, caring adults will associate reading with the overwhelming experience of…

Kathy and I enjoyed a delicious Sunday night dinner at Tony & Alba’s in San José last night. It’s one of our favorite places to go for pizza, pasta, and dessert. The family-owned restaurant is located on Stevens Creek Boulevard, just west of the Valley Fair Mall and Santana Row. As a simple gesture of…

Black Friday! Yes, the day after Thanksgiving. It’s a day I normally stay home… and out of harm’s way. Today, I went out once and made two stops — Staples, to pick up my 2023 weekly planner, and Walgreen’s, to restock my supply of shampoo and Zyrtec. Such excitement, right? Hey, I’m living life to…

Thanksgiving Day is my favorite holiday of the year. I cherish the wonderful memories of family dinners with my cousins at my grandparents’ home on Marsily Street in San Francisco. It was there that I developed a love for dark turkey meat, homemade stuffing, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes with turkey gravy. For some reason,…