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)

  • Compliments

  • Your Turn #2

    “Within you there is  
    a stillness and a  
    sanctuary to which  
    you can retreat  
    at any time.” 
    Hermann Hesse

    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 (more than 600 posts, so far). Every now and then, in place of an article, I share an inspirational quote, as I did earlier today. Two weeks ago, I decided to try something new, which I hope will be a regular feature of this blog. It’s called Your Turn.

    Rather than writing something myself, I will pose another 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. 

    If you dislike writing, take some time to just think about your response. I still think 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 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. Thanks to those of you who shared your responses to my question on April 4th. 

    Here’s the question for Your Turn #2:

    Where (or how) do you find peace amid life’s inevitable storms?

    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.  

  • The First Step

  • Serenity

    In the midst of chaos, it is possible to find peace. Serenity is not freedom from the storm. It is peace amid the storm. Nothing can disturb your peace of mind unless you allow it to. Inner peace is a proactive choice, often requiring conscious thought management. Sometimes, the most productive thing we can do is to relax and let go of those things over which we have no control.

    “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
    Philippians 4:6-7

  • Change

    “Real change, 
    enduring change, 
    happens one 
    step at a time.” 
    Ruth Bader Ginsberg

  • HOPE is an Acronym

    “Your life does not  
    get better by chance.  
    It gets better  
    by change.”      
    Jim Rohn

    For a while, we might find ourselves flying on cruise control down the fast lane on the highway of life. The weather is ideal. The roadway is clear, well-paved, and safe. Traffic is manageable. We tune-in to Pandora or Spotify and listen to our favorite tunes or podcasts, confident that the road ahead will be just as smooth. We feel as though we are on top of the world. Then, without warning, we hit a pot-hole, traffic congestion, or get run off the road by an out-of-control big rig. Everything changes… in an instant.

    At times, life can be difficult. We all know this. Sometimes these challenges come with some kind of warning, but not always. In some situations, we find ourselves blindsided by something about which we were unaware, for which we were totally unprepared, or, perhaps, something about which we believed there was no need to worry. To make matters worse, the difficulty is often something over which we have absolutely no control. 

    When confronted by these types of events, a variety of responses are available to us. Some of these options can be quite beneficial, helping one to successfully navigate the rough waters in which they find themselves. Regrettably, other options only exacerbate the problem. A number of factors can influence how we respond and why we respond the way we do.

    For those who respond in effective ways, recovery can happen quickly. People, for the most part, are fairly resilient. Others, however, continue to spiral out of control until such time as they hit the proverbial rock bottom. Their arrival at that low point can be painful for them and for those around them. Still, there is reason for hope — which can be seen as an acronym: Having Only Positive Expectations.

    Author J.K. Rowling had the experience of hitting rock bottom before going on to become one of the most prolific writers of her time. Her words can be a source of encouragement for all of us. She said, “And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”

    As I’ve mentioned previously, in both blog posts and in my books, a “crisis” can be viewed as a positive thing. While any crisis situation involves an element of danger, it also provides an opportunity for us to turn things around, to make the necessary changes to bring about a preferred future. More often than not, this opportunity requires some type of change on our part. We cannot count on life getting better by chance or due to some lucky break. Life gets better when we commit to positive change… and follow through with it.

  • Freddy’s

    “Behind every  
    small business,  
    there’s a story  
    worth knowing.”  
    Paul Ryan

    If you drive by 2916 Vicente Street (just west of 40th Avenue) today, you will see a typical Sunset District home — a couple of windows upstairs, with a garage door and a gated entry to the front door at the street level. Nothing about it would draw your attention. It wasn’t always so nondescript. In the 1960s, this location was home to Freddy’s, a popular little shop for an after-school or weekend snack. I wonder if the current owner of the home is aware of its history?

    Directly across the street from 2916 Vicente is South Sunset Playground. Just to the west of the playground is Ulloa Elementary School. And just up the street on 40th Avenue is Saint Gabriel School. I’m fairly certain that the bulk of Freddy’s customers came from these three places. The small shop was popular with kids of all ages, and I would guess a few adults, too.

    The owner, whose name I will assume was Freddy, converted his garage into a small shop where he served French fries in a brown paper bag for just 25 cents. They were amazingly good. He also sold half-pint containers of Sun Valley Dairy frozen chocolate milk and frozen orange drink for only ten cents. Using a box cutter, he would remove the top half of the half-pint carton, leaving the frozen treat cradled in the bottom half of the container. 

    I don’t recall ever purchasing both fries and a frozen drink at the same time. If I got the fries, I wanted to let them cool off just a bit, then enjoy them while they were still hot. When I got the frozen Sun Valley Dairy treat, and most often I’d get the chocolate milk rather than the orange drink, I savored every bit of the frozen product. 

    I’m fairly certain that Freddy didn’t open his shop to make money. I doubt that he relied on income from the small business to survive. I think he was just a retired old man who liked kids and wanted to provide some simple, affordable treats. Perhaps it was his way of communicating with the people of the neighborhood.   

    Through my eight years as a student at Saint Gabriel School (1960-68), after-school visits to South Sunset Playground and Freddy’s were part of my normal afternoon routine. Once I started high school, rarely did I have the time or interest to spend time at the playground. I left the Sunset District in 1972 when I moved to the Santa Clara Valley to attend college, so I don’t know exactly when Freddy’s went out of business. 

    As I mentioned, to see the house today, one would never know that there was such a successful, popular business situated there 60 years ago. No doubt, though, many (if not most) of the kids who lived near South Sunset Playground in the sixties have positive memories of Freddy’s.

  • Sunday, 04/12

  • “It’s my right!”

    “Just because you  
    have the right to  
    do something  
    doesn’t mean it’s  
    the right thing to do.”      
    Jerry Kang, J.D.

    In a conversation about the state of our country, a friend recently told me to check out a YouTube video by an Australian comedian, Jim Jeffries. It’s laced with profanities, but it certainly challenges what seems to be the prevailing opinion of Americans today regarding the need to possess a gun “for their protection.” Check out Part One of the video (approximately 7.5 minutes in length) by clicking HERE.

    Now let’s look at the reality of the situation.

    Approximately 40% to 52% of U.S. households own at least one firearm, with roughly 4.6 million children living in homes with loaded, unlocked guns. While primarily kept for protection, studies show household guns significantly increase risks of suicide, accidental injury, and domestic homicide, often failing to be used for self-defense. 

    Gun Ownership and Demographic Data

    Household Ownership: About 53.3 to 66.5 million U.S. households own guns.

    Personal Ownership: Roughly 32% of U.S. adults personally own a gun, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey.

    Demographics: Gun ownership is highest among Republicans (45%), rural residents (47%), and men (40%).

    Amount: The average gun owner possesses one to five firearms.

    Storage Practices: Nearly half (50%) of gun-owning households do not store all their firearms securely (unlocked and unloaded). 

    Risks Associated with Guns in the Home

    Children: Around 1,300 children (under 18) die from firearm injuries annually. Approximately 40% of unintentional shooting deaths among children aged 11–14 occur in a friend’s home.

    Safety Risk: A gun in the home is more likely to be used in a suicide, homicide, or accidental injury than for self-defense.

    Domestic Violence: People with a handgun in their home are seven times more likely to be shot by a spouse or intimate partner.

    Suicide: Firearms are the most lethal method of suicide, and their presence in the home increases risk for all household members.

    Theft: An estimated 200,000 guns are stolen from private citizens annually.

    Self-protection? Really? 

  • Saturday, 04/11