A Beacon of Light

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  • 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.

    I live in San José, California. My wife, Kathy, and I have three adult sons and five precious grandchildren. I have much for which to be grateful.

    I can be reached via email at kmc43sjc@gmail.com

    My books are available for purchase online from Amazon. I also have copies of some of these titles at my home for those who would like to buy them directly from me.

    A Moment’s Pause for Gratitude  (2017)

    Cherries in the Summer  (2021)

    The Ambassador of 38th Avenue  (2022)

    Dad: 12 Questions…  (2023)

    A Focus on Gratitude  (2024)

    Through the Lens of Gratitude  (2024)

    A Bahamian Odyssey (2026)

  • Thursday, 04/09

  • Surrender

  • Tuesday, 04/07

  • Monday, 04/06

  • A Good Laugh

    “Kids say the  
    darndest things.”
    Art Linkletter

    When my mother moved into the Villa Siena Retirement Community in 2012, it came as a bit of a surprise to my siblings and me to hear that Mom had met a “friend.” John was a few years older than Mom and had moved into the retirement facility when it appeared that his life was nearing its end. At the time, he relied on a wheelchair to get around.

    In the weeks and months after meeting Mom, John’s condition improved considerably. He ditched the wheelchair in favor of a cane. Not long after, he stopped using the cane, finding that he could get around quite well without it. Most surprising of all, he began dancing with Mom at some of the Villa Siena socials. It was quite a miraculous turnaround.

    One night, John joined us for a family dinner at the House of Prime Rib in The City. While sitting in the bar waiting for our table, John told a joke which seems timely to share today. 

    When the pastor visited the second grade classroom to congratulate the students on their upcoming First Communion, the students and teacher were excited. The next day they would begin their Easter break. During his visit, the pastor asked the students one question: “What is the Resurrection?” The teacher smiled confidently, as they had just discussed the Resurrection of Jesus the day before. Surprisingly, not one student raised a hand to answer the question. They sat in their desks looking at the pastor with blank faces.

    Their teacher spoke up. “C’mon you guys! We just talked about this yesterday,” she implored, encouraging someone to respond to the pastor’s question.

    After another bit of awkward silence, the pastor called on one young man. “Liam O’Malley, surely you can tell us what the Resurrection is.”

    Liam, feeling put on the spot, stood up to respond to the pastor’s question. “Uh,… I don’t remember exactly what it is, but I know that if it lasts more than six hours, you’re supposed to contact your doctor.”

    Happy Easter!

  • Your Turn #1

    “Writing is an  
    act of faith.”  
    E.B. White

    For almost twenty years, I’ve been writing articles for my blogs — first for Attitude of Gratitude (approximately 2,000 posts), then for A Beacon of Light (628 posts, so far). Every now and then, in place of an article, I share an inspirational quote, as I did yesterday. I’m going to try something new this evening which I hope will be a regular feature of this blog. It’s called Your Turn.

    Rather than writing something myself, I’m going to pose a question and encourage YOU to respond to it. If you feel so inclined, you may write your response for yourself. There is no need to share it with anyone. The act of reflecting on the question and writing your response is what’s important. No need to worry about spelling, punctuation, or grammar. You’re writing for yourself. 

    If you hate writing, take some time to think about your response. I still believe it’s helpful to jot down some of the thoughts that come to mind, but they can be in bullet format or just random statements on the back of a Starbucks napkin. Again, what’s important is your response to the question.

    Some few of you might want to share your response with me. I’d be happy to read what you’ve written. Your responses will not be shared or posted on the blog. The purpose of this exercise is simply for you to give some thought to the question posed. 

    Here’s the question for Your Turn #1:

    How could gratitude have a positive impact on a current situation or challenge in your life?

    Remember… There are no right or wrong answers. Your response is your response. I hope you find this exercise to be beneficial. Even if you choose not to share your response with me, I would be grateful to know what you think of this new feature. You may contact me at kmc43sjc@gmail.com.  

  • Our Task

  • Life After 70

    “You can’t help 
    getting older, 
    but you don’t 
    have to get old.”
    George Burns

    I’m home. Having spent the past three weeks walking the streets of Nassau, talking with friends from St. Augustine’s College, and reminiscing about a one-year experience I had more than fifty years ago, I’m grateful to be back in the Bay Area. I thoroughly enjoyed the past twenty days. My time was spent visiting with former students and colleagues, exploring areas of Nassau I frequented in the mid-seventies, and indulging in a variety of Bahamian meals and snacks. During the first two weeks of this visit, I averaged close to 10,000 steps per day. In the last week, because I had boxes of books to move around, I rented a car. My step-count decreased significantly, but having a car enabled me to explore more areas of the island and visit some old friends.

    I mentioned to a number of people in Nassau that this might be my final visit to The Bahamas, and that A Bahamian Odyssey would be the last book I write. While both of these may be true, I was reminded more than once to “never say never.” This is good advice. While it feels, in many ways, as though I’m closing the book on The Bahamas chapter of my life, I’m not erasing it from my memory… or my heart. Nassau, and the people I know there, will always be special to me. For now, though, I’m looking ahead.

    Yes, I’m getting older. This reality doesn’t bother me at all. I’m in full agreement with Carl Jung, who wrote, “A human being would certainly not grow to be 70 or 80 years old if this longevity had no meaning for the species to which he belongs. The afternoon of human life must also have a significance of its own and cannot be merely a pitiful appendage to life’s morning.”

    I can also relate to the wise words of Maya Angelou, who wrote, “I love living. I love that I’m alive to love my age. There are many people who went to bed just as I did yesterday evening and didn’t wake up this morning. I love and feel very blessed that I did.”

    So what do I do now that I’m home, well aware that I will celebrate my 72nd birthday in June? I’m motivated by the words of C.S. Lewis. He said, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” 

    While I don’t plan to publish any more books, I am committed to continuing to write on my blog. I’m also committed to getting together with friends on a regular basis, exercising every day, and being conscientious about the food and beverages I consume. Staying connected with others, maintaining regular physical exercise, and eating nutritious foods can all contribute to a healthier and longer life in older age.  

    I am grateful to be able to say, as Frank Lloyd Wright once said, “The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes.”

  • Heading Home

    “Maybe that’s the  
    best part of going  
    away for a vacation —  
    coming home again.”       
    Madeline L’Engle

    This morning, I’m packing-up to go home. This cozy condominium cottage has been my home for the past three weeks. While it is privately owned, it is located in the midst of three residential rental communities — Colony Club, The Oasis, and Sandlewood. The three communities, along with the individually-owned units, share a community pool and recreation area where breakfast is offered each morning from 7:00 to 10:00. Each evening from 7:00 to 10:00, the pool/recreation area is the site of a social gathering for residents and guests. The family-like atmosphere allows guests to feel a tangible sense of belonging.

    In the three weeks I’ve been here, I’ve met people from Canada, Nova Scotia, the U.K., Ireland, Germany, France, Cuba, Mexico, Uruguay, Italy, Trinidad, Jamaica, Ukraine, Argentina, the Netherlands, and, of course, a number of locations in the United States, including New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Kansas, and Colorado, to name a few. 

    The cottage I rented (pictured above) is located west of downtown Nassau. From the front door to the shopping district on Bay Street is about a 40-minute walk. A $1.50 ride on a jitney/bus cuts that time significantly, even when traffic is congested. There are two excellent restaurants that serve authentic Bahamian food nearby, along with a small grocery store. 

    Since my plan was to stay here for three weeks, one of the selling points of this unit is that there are laundry facilities (washer/dryer) inside the unit. I wouldn’t necessarily need that for a 7-10 day stay, but for a three-week stay, this was a necessity.

    The owner of this unit is not well-known by name, but his voice, and one particular song he sang, is familiar to just about everyone. Dyson Knight was the lead singer of the Baha Men, a calypso rock group twenty-five years ago. The song the group is best know for is “Who Let the Dogs Out?” Even my grandkids are familiar with the song, since it is featured in the recently-released movie Trolls.

    As nice as everything has been here, and as grateful as I am to have spent the past three weeks here in Nassau, I’m looking forward to getting home. I’m thankful for many people who helped to make my 2026 Nassau visit such an enjoyable and memorable one. 

  • An Absolute Joy

    “Behind every  
    successful man
    there is a woman.”       
    Mark Twain

    For the past three weeks, I have had the pleasure of meeting up with quite a few of my former students. The youngest of them are now 62 years of age. Doing the book signing events at the Logos Book Store on Saturday and at Saint Augustine’s College yesterday, enabled me to see even more. I had one unexpected visitor at Logos on Saturday — a woman I had not seen in more than fifty years.

    Mrs. Floridell Adderley is the widow of Mr. Lou Adderley, to whom my book, A Bahamian Odyssey, is dedicated. I mentioned in my book, and in a previous blog post, that Mr. Adderley was a man of integrity. He was a scholar, athlete, leader, permanent deacon in the Catholic Church, and former Headmaster (principal) of Saint Augustine’s College. On a number of occasions back in the 1974-75 academic year, I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Adderley’s wife, Floridell. I remember her as being attractive, intelligent, and incredibly kind. These traits apply to her today (she’s in her mid-80’s) as much as they did fifty years ago.

    Mrs. Adderley was accompanied by one of her daughters, Daria, who teaches at Saint Augustine’s College today. Their visit to Logos on Saturday was one of the highlights of this visit to Nassau. 

    Today is my last full day on the island. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be here again, to see so many former students, colleagues, and friends I’ve met here through the years, to share my book with them. After a brief visit to SAC this morning, I’m looking forward to taking one last walk down Bay Street and along the promenade at Junkanoo Beach. I’ll probably stop at The Fish Fry this evening to enjoy one more Bahamian dinner — cracked conch with peas ’n rice. I’m not aware of anywhere in the San Francisco Bay Area where this menu is offered. 

    As Thornton Wilder taught us, “We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasurers.”