A Beacon of Light

“It takes courage to  face and overcome  powerful emotions.” Desmond Tutu As I mentioned in yesterday’s blog post, I’m on retreat this weekend, so I want to keep this short. Last night, at the opening session, the retreat leader, Fr. Jim Voiss, S.J., invited us to recall an experience in our lives with which we struggle…

“He who is devoid  of the power to forgive  is devoid of the power  to love.”Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s a popular phrase with which you are probably familiar. “Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” Though its exact origin is debated, this popular quote is often attributed…

“The challenges  never disappear.  They simply  change form.” Beth O’Leary Everyone experiences challenges. No one escapes. Clearly, some challenges are significantly greater than others, but coping with, and ultimately overcoming the difficult times and situations in our lives is a shared experience.  When I was in elementary school, challenges included being accepted by my peers, struggling…

“Education is the most  powerful weapon which  you can use to  change the world.”   Nelson Mandela I am fairly certain that my sister, Cathy, never expected to read an article in which she was mentioned along with Nelson Mandela, Carlos Santana, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Well, today the unthinkable becomes a reality. Today’s blog post…

“What good is the warmth of summer without the cold of winterto give it sweetness.”John Steinbeck What an amazing difference six months can make. In July 2025, Kathy and I enjoyed a pleasant visit to Bristol, Rhode Island to spend a few days with our friends, Steve and Karen Aveson. Steve and I were high school classmates.…

“Above all, do not lose  your desire to walk.”   Soren Kierkegaard  What was I thinking? (How strange that I’ve been asking myself this question for decades.) I ventured out on a walk yesterday afternoon. I left home around 4:00 and returned about 5:30. I had no particular destination in mind. I just walked aimlessly through…

“There is no normal life that is free of pain.” Fred Rogers The reconstructive knee surgery was successful. Brendan is home now, experiencing the all-too-familiar challenge of limited mobility. This, too, shall pass. It won’t be long before he’s back out on the basketball court. Brendan’s positive mindset does not make him immune from the disappointment of having his…

“Everything negative — pressure, challenges — is all an opportunity for me to rise.” Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant’s quote reminds us that we have the ability to reframe adversity as opportunity. We have the opportunity to embrace fear and dedicate ourselves to a relentless work ethic to overcome obstacles. Wise words from one of the best professional basketball players…

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one  less traveled by…” Robert Frost The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost, was first published in The Atlantic Monthly magazine in August 1915. Over the next 110 years, it would become one of the most inspirational and oft-quoted poems in American literature. Two roads…