A Beacon of Light

As the Bay Area gets pounded with yet another atmospheric river, I find myself sitting at my desk in my home office writing about why I’m awake at midnight. The wind is howling outside, and a significant amount of water is flowing off the rooftop and down through the rainspout on the other side of…

“Nobody waves,but almost everybodywaves back.”Nicholas Epley In the introduction to my most recent book, The Ambassador of 38th Avenue, I mentioned that the title was given to me by one of my elderly childhood neighbors, Mr. Sam Young, when I was about ten years old. I was an outgoing kid, and I had a habit…

One of the most basic challenges for every human person is to identify the purpose of our life. Why am I here? What am I supposed to do? How might I make a positive difference in the world? The diagram above provides an excellent resource for those engaged in this task. It’s not an image…

“For it is in givingthat we receive.” Francis of Assisi  It was one of the sweetest experiences of my life. It was my 68th birthday, June 4, 2022. Our kids and their families came over for a barbecue. Tom, Steve, and Brendan did all the cooking. As is so often the case these days, the food…

There are so many sources of wisdom in our world. Seeking them out, and applying that wisdom to our lives, is an opportunity available to us all. I came across this one today: When you’re gentlewith yourself,you’ll be gentlewith others. When you’re non-judgmentalwith yourself,you’re non-judgmentalwith others. When you give yourselfthe benefit of the doubt,you’ll be…

“When there is pain,there are no words.”Toni Morrison I reached up to the Safeway shelfand grabbed the box of tissues,and as I did, I heard a growlfrom someone who had issues. “You took the last damn box, old man!”Um, yes, it seems I did.“I’ve got a nasty cold,” she barked.The woman flipped her lid. She…

“Just because everythingis differentdoesn’t mean anythinghas changed.” Irene Peter When I dropped my granddaughter off for her preschool class on Tuesday morning, it was cold, windy, and raining. What a difference today — the sun is shining, the sky is blue, and there is a warmth to the morning air I haven’t felt in quite awhile.…

“There’s nothing like hot chocolate and a hug for making the nightmares go away.”Neil Gaiman When I was a child, and a troublesome one at that, I had a recurring nightmare that I was going to hell. Seriously! I cannot say how many times I experienced that same nocturnal scenario, but it got to the point where I…

“One day you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to do the things you’ve always wanted. Do it now.”Paulo Coelho Have you ever noticed how glowingly people speak of a person after that person has died? I’ve attended no small number of wakes, funerals, and memorial services in my lifetime. It is heartwarming to hear…

Little by little, I’m becoming increasingly familiar with this platform for my blog. I recently learned how to view multiple articles on a single page. If you would like to do so, click here: BEACON of LIGHT