Cowardly Bravery
“Practicing courage, compassion, and connection in our daily lives is how we cultivate worthiness. The key word is practice.” —Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection I am tempted to copy down more of the paragraph from page 7 of Brown’s…
Daring Despite the Danger
“The known, our current story, protects us from the unknown, from chaos—which is to say, provides our experience with determinate and predictable structure. … When we are in the domain of the known, so to speak, there is no reason…
What Makes Us Whole?
“The central issue in this book is the conflict between the things we feel—the things our bodies register—and the things we think we ought to feel so as to comply with moral norms and standards we have internalized at a…
We Can’t Let the Light Go Out
“Men do not learn when they believe they already know.” —Barbara Ward I added that quote to the signature line of my email long ago. I am still unsure about who Barbara Ward actually is or was: an author (probably), an…
Maybe I Missed God
My kids and I always have theological discussions. I’ve been talking to them about God, faith, Catholicism, in one way or another, since each of them was born, and while I love babies and toddlers, I am happy to have…
Whitewashed Tombs
Last night, I returned to church, thinking that the first day of Lent would be a good time for it, but a funny thing happened. I became my father. Even funnier? It is nothing like I imagined it would be.…
Causation or Correlation?
Ash Wednesday just happens to coincide with my newfound determination to think and write and share, to stop worrying about the “audience” and anyone who might misinterpret, roll their eyes, insult, make fun of, think less of, or condemn me.…
The Mystical Boat
“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your…
Know It All
The Volume Library. God love you, Dad. When you signed on the dotted line for that scam, you were trying to do the right thing. Your blood sugar may have been on the way down and you just wanted your…
A New Way of Living
Today is the first day of my new life. It sounds dramatic, I know, but I spent my old life avoiding drama at all costs. So, let’s double down on the drama: everything I thought I knew was just guessing.…
Let It Be an End in Itself
Do you ever feel like you belong nowhere? I’m going through such an experience now, feeling sort of homeless. I keep telling myself to unpack my bags and settle, that I can stay here, that I can be happy here,…
Peace on Earth
Has there ever been peace in the world, and if so, will there ever be again? I suppose it depends upon who you ask. Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, has an image of world peace that looks…
