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)

  • A Quick Trip

    “Woke up this morning
    in the city of Angels.” 
    Thirty Seconds to Mars Band

    Although I never saw the 1987 movie, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, starring Steve Martin and John Candy, there’s something catchy about the title. I thought about it this morning as I considered what to write about in my blog today. When I’m home, my car and CalTrain are common modes of transportation for me. This weekend, we relied on Alaska Airlines to get around.

    Kathy and I did, indeed, wake up in the city of Angels this morning. We jumped on a 6:16 a.m. flight from San José to LAX yesterday morning, then took a short ten-minute taxi ride up the hill to the campus of Loyola-Marymount University. My brother, Tom, lives and works at LMU. He organized an orientation meeting for those who will be joining him, and Fr. Randy Roche, S.J., for a two-week pilgrimage in September. They will visit a number of sites related to the life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order, in Spain and Rome. Kathy will be participating in this journey, so the gathering provided the opportunity for her to meet some of the other travelers. 

    When Kathy told me about the meeting, I suggested that we go together. While she was getting updated on the details of the pilgrimage, I had the opportunity to spend the afternoon with a friend who lives in Long Beach. Angellie picked me up on campus at 12:30. We headed down to LaPlaya, a short ten-minute drive from LMU, where we enjoyed a delightful meal at Playa Provisions. After lunch, we walked along the Ballora Creek Bike Path at Toes Beach. Given that it was a Saturday afternoon, there were many beachgoers enjoying the sun and playing volleyball on the sandy beach. Others were riding bikes, jogging, or walking, many with dogs, along the bike path. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend the afternoon. 

    Angellie and I then joined Kathy and the pilgrimage group for Mass in the chapel of the Jesuit residence at LMU. 

    After Mass, Kathy, Tom, and I took a relaxing one-mile walk down to the Manchester Restaurant for dinner. When I think about the calories I consumed at lunch and dinner, I’m not sure that the 17,000 steps I took yesterday compensated sufficiently for the overindulgence. No regrets, though. Both lunch and dinner were thoroughly enjoyable.

    When we arrived back on the LMU campus, we were treated to the sunset pictured above. The view from the bluff at Loyola-Marymount is spectacular and our timing could not have been better. There was a window of only about two minutes for me to take this photo before the sun set. 

    Kathy and I will return to San José later today. It was a quick trip, but one that was both enriching and enjoyable for both of us.

  • Feelin’ Good

    “Health is not valued
    until sickness comes.” 
    Thomas Fuller

    This past Wednesday, I drove over to Kaiser Medical Center in Santa Clara for my annual physical examination. My primary care physician, Dr. Pratheepa Singh, is conscientious, caring, and competent. I am blessed to have had her as my doctor for the past several years. I arrived at Kaiser confident that I was in relatively good physical condition. Dr. Singh confirmed this with her evaluation.

    Yes, I’m feelin’ good! This has not always been true. Just two years ago, my weight was alarmingly high, my blood pressure needed attention, and my sedentary lifestyle was beginning to take a toll on my overall health and quality of life. I knew it was time to make some changes. I’ve dropped the excess weight I’d been carrying around for many years. My blood pressure is now right where it should be. My eating habits are significantly improved. And I’ve been walking 7,000 to 12,000 steps per day on average. Dr. Singh approves of these changes in my life.

    I always knew I should be exercising more, but I used every excuse possible to justify why I didn’t have time to do so. It was the words of Edward Stanley that motivated me to make some changes in my life. He said, “Those who think they have no time for exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” Fortunately, I got the message before it was too late.

    In addition to regular exercise, responsible eating is also a requirement for good health. Sadly, for the longest time, I ignored the warnings of so many that I was making food choices that were not only detrimental to my health, but downright dangerous. Pizza, pasta, baked goods, candy, donuts, burgers and fries,… These foods, combined with enormous portion sizes, have become the standard fare for many Americans. This might explain the national obesity epidemic plaguing America today. Mark Twain sarcastically encouraged such an attitude when he quipped, “The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what you’d rather not.” 

    Mahatma Gandhi offered much wiser words of wisdom. He said, “It is health that is the real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” It’s pretty clear that in order to have good health, we must consistently make good decisions. Our good health is advantageous not only to us. It is the greatest gift we can give to our loved ones.

    Morgan Spurlock was the filmmaker who rocked America with his controversial documentary Super Size Me. In that film, Spurlock ate only McDonald’s food for thirty days, resulting in a gain of 25 pounds and an alarming spike in his cholesterol levels. His words are straight and to the point: “Sorry, there’s no magic bullet. You gotta eat healthy and live healthy to be healthy and look healthy. End of story.”    

  • 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:

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