I do not believe I was ever required to read Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If.” Perhaps better known for his books Kim, Captains Courageous, Gunga Din, The Man Who Would Be King and The Jungle Book among others, Kipling penned “If” in 1895. I first read the poem on a rainy afternoon in the ’60’s sitting …
Author Archives: tVM
Solar Eclipse 2012
Just want to remind our readers of the first solar eclipse in the 21st century, which will occur on Sunday/Monday, May 20/21st. This Wikipedia link offers some excellent animation. Those of us in North America should get a good view of it on Monday.
The Dog
Of all the animals on Earth, I have learned most from the dog. Although my boyhood home was next door to a veterinarian, Doc Dapson in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, I never owned a dog until 1975 when we lived on a farm in Upstate New York. In his epic poetry, Homer tells us of Odysseus’s dog …
Henry David Thoreau: Concerning Civil Disobedience
Amid the tsunami of political rhetoric that threatens to annihilate us all, my mind forever returns to Henry David Thoreau. We have so much government and so many laws they we can no longer do the right thing. We are merely forced to do whatever the majority – if it is even possible to define …
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True, Good and Useful
Last Friday, I viewed an interesting film, “To Save a Life” that opened with a young, friendless boy walking into his high school, firing a handgun into the air to get everyone’s attention, and then turning the gun upon himself… One year ago, Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was seriously shot in the head less than …
You Are the Light of the World
We can all have extraordinary days if we pay attention and open our hearts and minds. Father Paul spoke about the Transfiguration of Christ at church this morning. I couldn’t help but think about the post we put up last Friday. “Look for the light,” Father Paul implored us, and in his intercessions I heard …
Back to the Garden
I’ve recently been viewing the 1988 PBS presentation “The Power of Myth,” 342 minutes of fascinating conversation between American mythologist Joseph Campbell (1904 – 1987) and journalist and former White House Press Secretary Bill Moyers. The depth, rather the height of their intellect humbles me. A passing clip and statement captured my attention. The …
Si’ahl and Non-violence
The Dawes Act and subsequent legislation may have benefitted white settlers, but it provided the framework that reduced many proud Native American tribes and their holy traditions to poverty and disrespect. In honor of Si’ahl’s stand on non-violence, tVM is proud to print the ‘Prayer to the Four Directions’ attributed to Chief Seattle with the …
Etty Hillesum, March 9, 1941
On March 12, 1941, Etty Hillesum wrote in her diary, “‘Melodious rolls the world from God’s right hand.’ This line by Vewey was stuck in my head all day. I too wanted to roll melodiously out of God’s hand.” Me, too! I want to join Etty Hillesum in her quest! We all can, and it …
The Economy of Hunger …
As a participant and supporter of Heifer International, I received a welcoming brochure in the mail this afternoon. According to Heifer International, 852 million people around the world are chronically hungry and 25,000 people die every single day from poverty and hunger. I looked for another source. According to Starvation.net, one person dies needlessly every …