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)

  • The Dignity of Work

    “Whatever your
    life’s work is,
    do it well.” 
    Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

    To prepare for writing today’s blog post, I turned to the treasured words of the venerable Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the topic of work. Today’s writing is a follow-up to my May 20, 2025 post.

    Dr. King understood and promoted the concept of the dignity of the human person. I reflected on his words two days ago as I watched a group of men cleaning the inside and drying the outside of my car at Classic Car Wash on Prospect Road in West San José. 

    The men pictured in the photo above were simply doing their job, a job some may consider to be menial work. I don’t believe that such work exists. All work has meaning. When that work is done well, it should be a source of pride and respect for the workers.

    “No work is insignificant,” Dr. King said. “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”

    What made me think of Dr. King on Tuesday afternoon was that while I watched the men working on my car, I immediately recalled one of my favorite MLK quotes. “If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, like Shakespeare wrote poetry, like Beethoven composed music.” In other words, do your best, no matter what you do.

    This was exactly how the Classic Car Wash workers did their job.

    It was humbling for me to sit comfortably in the shade watching the workers tend to my car with such care and detail. I thought about why they were doing what they were doing. What motivated them to work so hard in the hot sun and to put so much energy into caring for my vehicle? I’m sure each worker has his own answer to this question. Perhaps their primary purpose is simply to earn money to support themselves and their families. If that’s their motivation to do the work, that’s enough. As I watched them doing their job, it was clear to me that they were putting forth maximum effort.

    Dr. King believed that life’s most persistent and urgent question is: “What are you doing for others?” Those “others” might be the owners of the vehicles that go through the car wash each day. Or they may be the family members who will benefit from the salary the worker brings home each week. Author Lewis Carroll pointed out, “One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others.” 

    Having been fortunate enough to get not only an excellent education, but a Jesuit education from high school through graduate school, I learned that one of the primary goals of Jesuit education is to develop “men and women for others.” Students in Jesuit schools are taught, as Carroll stated, that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others. Dr. King, however, added the importance of doing whatever we do, including those things we do for others, to the absolute best of our ability.

    Each one of us is called to do nothing less in our own lives. I’m grateful for the women and men employed at Classic Car Wash. They do their job with care and diligence, and they are deserving of the respect of their customers.

  • Feeling Blessed

  • Yeah, but…

    “You can’t buy happiness,
    but you can buy donuts,
    and that’s basically
    the same thing.” 
    Author Unknown

    Growing up in San Francisco in the 1960s, Stemples Bakery on Bush Street was the place to go for the best donuts in The City. When I moved to the South Bay in 1972, it didn’t take long for me to hear about Stan’s Donuts on Homestead Road in Santa Clara and Lou’s Donuts, located at 17th & Santa Clara Streets in San José. Unlike Stemples and Lou’s, Stan’s is still alive and well, serving their signature glazed donuts (and more) to hundreds of Santa Clara Valley residents each day. 

    In my college years, I loved donuts. They were convenient, affordable, and delicious. Since I was young and incredibly active physically, the donuts didn’t seem to have an adverse effect on my overall health. With age, that changed. Without giving it much thought, I continued to enjoy donuts on a regular basis until about two years ago. That’s when I said, “Enough!” (Actually, that’s when my scale said, “Enough!”)

    Today is National Donut Day. I am proud to say that I have not had a donut in over two years. Just for fun, I Googled “Health Benefits of Donuts,” thoroughly expecting to be greeted by a web page filled with people laughing at me. I was surprised to come across listonic.com, a shopping list app. The information they provided was refreshingly honest.

    Rather than a laughing emoji mocking me for my foolish Google search, the site provided this balanced information:

    Health Benefits

    • Provides Quick Energy from carbohydrates and fats, making them a source of immediate fuel.

    • Enhances Mood and Satisfaction as an occasional treat, contributing to emotional well-being. When enjoyed as an occasional treat, donuts can bring moments of joy and balance to your diet, supporting a positive and healthy relationship with food.

    • Encourages Social Bonding when shared during gatherings, celebrations, and social events.

    • Can Include Essential Nutrients if made with wholesome ingredients such as eggs and milk.

    Health Risks

    • High Sugar Content which can contribute to weight gain, tooth decay, and increased risk of diabetes.

    • High Fat Content, particularly in fried donuts, which can raise cholesterol levels and increase risk of heart disease.

    • High Calorie Count which can lead to weight gain if donuts are consumed frequently.

    • Low Nutrient Density, as donuts are primarily composed of refined flour, sugar, and fat.

    I appreciate the balanced reporting on this topic. With this insightful information, the ball is now in our court — and an occasional donut doesn’t seem like such a destructive choice after all.

  • What’s In a Name?

    “Every saint has a past,
    and every sinner
    has a future.”
    Oscar Wilde

    Saints and sinners… ah, yes. It’s difficult to know who’s who without a game program — and even then, we just never know for sure.

    Today, June 3rd, is the Feast of Saint Kevin. Born in Glendalough, County Wicklow, Ireland, Kevin is one of the patron saints of Dublin. He founded the monastery at Glendalough. He is also the patron saint of blackbirds, for a very strange reason.

    Kevin lived the life of a hermit for seven years. His companions were the local animals and birds. It is said that one day, while he held his arms outstretched in prayer in his tiny hut, a hut so small that his arms extended out the window during prayer, a blackbird landed in his open hand. The little critter built a small nest and laid her eggs in it. Kevin, a gentle soul and lover of nature, held that position until the eggs hatched. One might think that this would earn Kevin the title of patron saint of patience, but that honor was awarded to Saint Monica.  

    I once asked my mother why I was given the name Kevin. She told me that my “due date” in 1954 was June 3rd. Even though my actual birth took place in the morning on June 4th, my parents still liked the name Kevin, so they stuck with it. I’m glad they did. The patron saint celebrated on June 4th is Saint Francis Caracciolo. I couldn’t see myself going through life being called “Frank.” 

    The name Kevin is derived from the Irish name Caoimhín, which means handsome, kind, and noble. The name originates from a Gaelic word which signifies gentleness and lovability. (Seriously, folks,… I’m not making this stuff up!)

    According to onlymyhealth.com, Kevins “are known to be ambitious and determined. They have a strong will to succeed and are unafraid to work hard to achieve goals. They are very organized and can manage their time effectively in fulfilling any task. They have the natural ability to lead.”

    It is believed that Saint Kevin is buried in Glendalough, one of the main pilgrimage destinations of medieval Ireland. In terms of prestige, being buried in Glendalough is akin to being buried in Rome.

    Although today is the feast day of Saint Kevin, National Kevin Day (apparently there is such a thing) is celebrated on October 3rd. National Hug-a-Kevin Day (if you don’t believe me, look it up) is a week later on October 10th. You know where to find me!

  • Key Lime Pie

    “Dessert is not a meal,
    it’s a moment.” 
    Ahn Luu

    It’s no secret to anyone who knows me well that I love desserts. Whether it be a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a hot fudge sundae, a serving of Crème Brûlée, or a slice of white cake with chocolate frosting and raspberry filling, a good dessert is the perfect ending to a delightful meal with family or friends. 

    Chef Ahn Luu, in the quote above, makes a valid point. Dessert, in itself, is not a meal. It is, however, a moment if it’s done well. Not surprisingly, I have experienced bland ice cream and stale cake, usually items purchased at a local grocery store. More often than not, however, the desserts I’ve enjoyed have been delectable. These treats have either been purchased at quality bakeries or ice cream shops, or they have been homemade. For some reason, homemade desserts always seem to taste just a little bit better. I think it’s the touch of love that goes into them that makes the difference.

    When asked to identify my favorite dessert item, I’m always at a loss to answer quickly. I have so many I like that it’s difficult to narrow it down to just one. When pressed to do so, my response is usually key lime pie.

    The first time I recall having a slice of key lime pie was in Jamaica in 1971. It was incredibly tasty and tangy. Together with the graham cracker crust, it made for a perfect dessert following a traditional Jamaican dinner of curried goat, white rice, and plantain. I don’t think I will ever forget that first taste of the pie. It had a zing to it that I had not experienced previously in my lifetime. 

    In the years since that meal, I have had good-quality key lime pie only a few times, most often when visiting the Bahamas. I enjoyed a slice for dessert when I stopped-in for lunch at Bahamian Cookin’, a local restaurant in downtown Nassau. All the food at Bahamian Cookin’ tasted homemade, including the amazing slice of key lime pie. It was quite a treat.

    I received an email from my friend, Christine, in Nassau this past Friday morning. She mentioned that she was making pies for her family and friends. She attached some photos of the pies she was baking. I looked at the images and had an overwhelming desire to cut a slice from each pie and enjoy them all, but the 2,700+ miles that separate us made this totally impractical. 

    Although I said in my blog post just two days ago that “I don’t have the desire to travel such distances” anymore, I am definitely eager to plan another visit to Nassau. For homemade pie, especially key lime pie, the desire is real and the distance is not an obstacle!

  • It’s June!

    “Spring being a
    tough act to follow,
    God created June.” 
    Al Bernstein

    In his book, The Winter of Our Discontent, author John Steinbeck wrote, “In early June, the world of leaf and blade and flowers explodes, and every sunset is different.” Well, early June has arrived once again. Steinbeck’s words are as timely today as they were the day he wrote them. While the official beginning of summer doesn’t arrive until the evening of Friday, June 20th, in my mind June 1st has always been, and will always be, the first day of summer.

    June is a month of celebrations — birthdays, weddings, graduations, anniversaries, vacation trips, barbecues, Father’s Day, and both the official and unofficial start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. In June we enjoy warmer days and longer daylight hours. It’s a glorious time of the year.

    I learned something new about the month of June recently. The Farmers’ Almanac points out that June “…is all about peace and love. Between the resurgence of happiness in May and the strength that resonates in July, June is a month of balance.” I like that! A number of writers from the Renaissance Period pointed out that balance is necessary for our overall health and well-being. I’ve certainly found this to be true in my life. Too much or too little of just about anything can leave us in a funk.

    Here’s another interesting fact I recently learned. June is Men’s Health Month, a time to bring special awareness to health issues commonly affecting men. Men have a well-earned reputation for avoiding medical help, even when it’s obvious that such help is needed. The American theme of rugged individualism hasn’t necessarily served men well in this regard. To have a month set aside to increase awareness of men’s health issues, and to encourage men to seek professional help when necessary, is certainly prudent.

    As a writer, I think of my life as a long-running story. Day by day, week by week, and month by month, I continue to write my story. Since I am a firm believer that everyone has a unique life story to share, I’ll end today’s blog post with these words of advice: It’s a new month. Turn the page. Your story is still being written.

  • Just Smile!

    “When you’re smilin’
    keep on smilin’.
    The whole world
    smiles with you.” 
    Louis Armstrong

    On this, the last day of May, we celebrate (believe it or not) National Smile Day in the United States. In one sense, it’s sad that we need to designate a particular day of the year to encourage people to smile more. Then, again, maybe the day is intended to celebrate the reality that there are many people who already do smile every day. Either way, to bring national attention to the benefits of smiling is a good thing.

    Like so many other things in life, most of us, myself included, often take smiling for granted. We smile at some people, but not at others. Some others smile at us, but not everyone. That’s just how it goes. Might we be more conscientious about smiling if we were reminded of the tremendous benefits of doing so?

    Let’s begin with first impressions. It is said that we only get one opportunity to make a good first impression, therefore, these initial meetings are crucial to our personal and professional lives. A warm, welcoming smile, whether at a job interview or when meeting a new neighbor, is a valuable tool for making that positive first impression.

    Smiling enhances our mood. It triggers the release of dopamine, which is associated with pleasure and happiness. Smiling also reduces overall stress. When we smile, we reduce feelings of anxiety and boost our mood. Our smile can boost the spirits of others, as well.

    Smiling benefits our heart health and immune system, too. People who smile often experience a decrease in heart rate and blood pressure. Positive neurochemicals, which are released when we smile, can enhance the body’s immune response, making it more effective at preventing illness.

    When we smile, people around us get the message that we are friendly and approachable. This allows us to enjoy positive interactions and build stronger social connections, factors which are critical for our own mental health. Author Roy T. Bennett, in his book The Light in the Heart, wrote, “Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people.” Each one of us has the potential to do this.

    We have countless opportunities to smile every day. Not only can we smile at those we know, it’s okay to smile at strangers, too. I do it every day. When I’m out for a walk or running errands, and I encounter someone I don’t know, I make it a point to acknowledge the person with a smile. This simple gesture has the ability to brighten someone’s day, and, in doing so, it brightens mine, as well. We just never know when the smile we offer to a stranger might be the only positive human interaction they experience all day.

    Another benefit of smiling is that it bridges communication barriers. Comedian George Carlin pointed out, “Everyone smiles in the same language.” We don’t have to allow a language difference to prevent us from interacting in a positive way with people. Living in the Santa Clara Valley, I encounter non-English speakers every day. It doesn’t matter where a person is from or what language they speak, they understand the message of a simple smile.

    A few people have told me through the years that they just aren’t comfortable smiling at strangers. That’s okay. Maybe today, on National Smile Day, they might consider the encouraging words of author James A. Murphy who wrote, “Just for today, smile a little more.”

    • • •

    NOTE: If you enjoy reading my posts on A Beacon of Light, please consider sharing the link with others you know, including those who don’t know me, who might enjoy these writings. I appreciate your help with promoting positivity in the world.

  • Speaking of Travel

    “The greatest wealth
    is to live content
    with little.” 
    Plato

    What does it mean to be successful? What does it mean to be happy and fulfilled in life?

    The messages we receive from the outside world often tell us, in a variety of ways, that we need to have or do one thing or another to experience true happiness and fulfillment in life. The advertising industry is based on this belief. Their job is to convince us that we are deprived, yet deserving of the product being sold. It seems to me that the key to experiencing happiness in life is to realize that what we have is enough, and to be content with that.  

    Yesterday, in my blog post, I mentioned that my sister, Cathy, has visited 29 foreign countries… and counting… in her lifetime. She is happy, fulfilled, and content. She is living her life to the fullest. I’ve been to only three countries. I, too, am happy, fulfilled, and content. There are certainly a few places I would like to see in person — Palawan, in the Philippines, is one of them. Lake Como, in Italy, is another. And then there’s Switzerland. Images I’ve seen of the Alps are breathtaking. As much as I would like to see these places with my own eyes, I don’t have the desire to travel such distances to do so.

    I used to play basketball, tennis, and golf on a regular basis. I used to ride my Raleigh 10-speed bicycle all around the Bay Area. I used to enjoy laying on a beach or by a pool to get tan. I don’t do any of these things anymore, and no one is urging me to do so. My experience of travel is no different. I thoroughly enjoyed traveling in my younger years, but the desire to travel long distances at this point in my life has diminished considerably. Despite this, as recently as last week, I was told by a friend, “You absolutely MUST visit Rome.” I have no doubt that Rome is a special place — a sacred place — but I have no desire to go there. 

    While I know it is a poor substitute, I occasionally turn to the internet to familiarize myself with the world. Using Google Images, Google Maps, and YouTube videos, I’ve enjoyed virtual trips to Willemstad in Curacao, Couva in Trinidad, Rome in Italy, Puebla in Mexico, and a number of other international destinations. I’ve used the same resources to visit dozens of cities and towns here in the United States. I have not actually been to any of these places, but I have a sense of familiarity with each locale. Were I to visit any of these destinations now, I am confident that I wouldn’t feel completely lost.

    Postcards have traditionally been a component of summer vacations. I recall, from my early childhood, stopping by local souvenir shops to select a few postcards to send to family and friends from places like Santa Barbara, Yosemite, Disneyland, New York, and Boston, to name a few. I would jot down a quick note, address it, and mail it at my earliest convenience. No doubt, the postcard industry has been adversely affected by the growth of email and social media. I honestly cannot remember the last time I sent a postcard. I do, however, appreciate receiving them from my sisters when they travel.

    With most of my current-day travel being virtual, I guess I could create a variety of digital postcards from wherever I imagine myself to be. Since I am not using any of the popular social media platforms these days, I could simply email the postcards to family and friends. This would keep everyone sufficiently informed… or confused… as to my virtual whereabouts.

    Here’s a sample of what a digital postcard might look like:

    Let me know if you would like to be on my mailing list!

  • World Traveler

    “Once a year,
    go someplace you’ve
    never been before.” 
    Dalai Lama

    My sister, Cathy, is a world traveler. Due to her status with the airlines (she’s more than just a frequent flyer), she is often treated like royalty — as she should be. After all, she is a queen. Seriously! 

    Back in the late 1950s, a new section was added to the San Francisco Zoo. It was called Storyland. It featured illustrations, artwork, and exhibits bringing childhood fairly tales and rhymes to life. It also featured a petting zoo for the little ones. Cathy was given the honor of serving as the first Queen of Storyland. So, of course, it’s no surprise that she would be treated like royalty even to this day.

    I’ve been blessed with two sisters and one older brother. Cathy is the older of the two sisters. I recently came across a quote from Pam Brown which describes my relationship with Cathy quite accurately. Brown wrote, “An older sister is a friend and defender, a listener, conspirator, a counselor and sharer of delights. And sorrows, too.” 

    Cathy and I have shared many life experiences, but when it comes to international travel, Cathy left me in the dust many years ago. I’ve been to Japan, Jamaica, and the Bahamas — multiple times to each country. Other than that, however, I have not crossed international borders — sadly, not even to Canada or Mexico. Cathy, on the other hand, seems to have embraced the words of the Dalai Lama quoted above.

    Prior to her current trip, Cathy has visited (you might want to sit down for this)…  Canada, Mexico, El Salvador, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Iceland, Ireland, England, Wales, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Morocco, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. She is now visiting Scotland, a country known for its natural beauty, myths and legends, castles, literature, traditional music, unique Scottish fabrics, and St. Andrews Links, the oldest and most revered golf course in the world.

    Author Henry Miller pointed out that “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” Surely, despite her extensive world travel, Cathy will return from Scotland a changed person. Travel does that to a person.

    Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not.” Cathy most definitely brings beauty to wherever she goes. This enables her to find beauty in each destination she visits.

    I don’t share Cathy’s passion for travel, though I hope to return to the Bahamas at least one more time. I also intend to visit Ireland, the birthplace of my four grandparents. Cathy, on the other hand, seems to have an attitude which mirrors that of American writer Susan Sontag who wrote, “I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.”

  • Memories

    “The older I get,
    the better I was.” 
    Van Dyke Parks

    There is a well-known and often-used phrase which crossed my mind yesterday afternoon. Time flies when you’re having fun. I didn’t put these words in quotes, because I was unable to find a reliable source to identify the author of those exact words. What I did find, however, took me back to my three years of Latin classes at St. Ignatius College Prep in San Francisco.

    “Tempus fugit” is a phrase found in a poem by the Roman poet Virgil. The phrase translates to “time flies.” In that context, it refers to the passage of time and how our lives seem to pass by so quickly. This got me to thinking,… and that can often be a dangerous thing!

    Time is a strange phenomenon. There were times in my life when the minutes seemed to drag on forever. (Did I mention that I took three years of Latin in high school?) There were other times when hours, days, weeks, and even months just seemed to fly by. In my teaching career, I remember writing “September” on a handout for my students, knowing full well that before I knew it, I’d be writing “May.” That’s just how it was. 

    Family therapist Clayton Barbeau once pointed out that five minutes with your hand on a hot stove would seem like a long time, whereas five minutes with your girlfriend would pass much too quickly. Time is relative in that way.

    As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate the words of Australian filmmaker James Wan who said, “It’s pretty scary to know how quickly time flies.” He’s right. 

    How could I be a grandparent already? How could I already be in my 70s? How could Kathy and I possibly be celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary next month? How is it possible that I am older than the pope? In some ways, these things are simply beyond comprehension. I don’t feel old, so where did the time go?

    I guess it goes back to the “having fun” thing. I have been blessed with an enjoyable and fulfilling life. I didn’t just survive my teen years, I relished them. My college years were better than I could possibly have asked for. The years of single young adulthood provided even more incredible life experiences. Raising three sons was a challenging, yet amazing experience, and I enjoyed my teaching career, including many of the unexpected travel opportunities it provided. And in my retirement, I have fulfilled a lifetime dream of writing and publishing a book — six of them! Yes, it’s been fun, and yes, the time has passed at an alarming pace.

    Fortunately, one gift with which I’ve been blessed since my early years is an eidetic memory. I have often been able to recall people and experiences from the past with vivid detail. This enables me to revisit (in my mind) places I’ve been, events I’ve experienced, and people I’ve encountered along my life journey. While my memory is not perfect, what a gift it is for me to vividly recall events from fifty or more years ago. This happens on a fairly regular basis.

    There is one thing about my memory, however, which amuses me. It is precisely what Van Dyke Parks observed in the quote at the top of this blog post: “The older I get, the better I was.”

    Is this a bad thing??? 

    So what’s the take-away from all this? Perhaps the words of Canadian author A. J. Darkholme answer this question. He wrote, “The older you get, the faster time passes in your mind, so use your time according to what’s most important.” It’s never too late to live happily ever after.