I have come to define faith this way: Faith is the knowledge that something exists or something is true without proof, or that an event will occur in the absence of reason and logic. There is great strength in faith. It is one of the core messages in my 2012 novella The Sixth Day, and …
Author Archives: tVM
Combatting the Litterbug
As I rode my bike early this morning, I asked myself, “What can I do today to make the world a better place to be?” As contemplative monk, Thomas Merton writes, “God makes us ask ourselves questions most often when He intends to resolve them.” True to form, the answer came in the 14th mile. …
Solidarity Is Essential
“Spoiler Alert:” at over 1,000 words, this is one of the longer posts we’ve written. “Click” the arrows to open comments. Though disheartened when I learned that Goodyear listed “All Lives Matter” as unacceptable as part of its zero-tolerance policy, I take strength that others do believe that all lives matter and consider it a …
Do Not Be Afraid
“The Lord is my shepherd… though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me. Your rod and your staff give me strength, comfort, and courage… “ If Leonard Cohen is right – and I believe he is – this is the secret chord …
Your Life Matters
Passing through the great room, I glanced at the HGTV show Mrs. tVM was watching this afternoon and noticed that the ‘star’ of show wore a t-shirt that read, “Let Your Smile Change the World.” Great stuff. Ever since I saw Forrest Gump run cross-country – literally ACROSS the country – I thought Forrest Gump …
“Lemon, Honey!”
Many years ago, Mrs. tVM read an article praising the health benefits of drinking tea made from lemons and honey. For at least five years, I have made it a habit to make this tasty concoction and drink a cup daily, most often immediately following my morning bike ride. Lemons are fortified with Vitamin C …
Faith Amid Doubt… Lincoln Still Smiles
The American landscape has changed drastically since I played chip-up baseball with Johnny Senger, Ray “Ping” Connors, the Filio brothers, and a handful of other future big-leaguers from nearby neighborhoods on the vacant lot behind the swamp next to our house on West Housatonic Street. Kids don’t do that anymore. America has been far from …
Life Lessons from Flat Tire
Two weeks ago, I experienced a flat tire on my 6am bicycle ride. I was three miles from home. Knowing Mrs. tVM would be on her morning walk, I walked the bike home, a good contemplative experience. The culprit was an unusually large nail that I removed from the tire. I replaced the tube and …
The Nameless Giver
I have worked in the homeless community in Tucson ever since I met my friends Carl and Chuck in 2012 in the book store at the Redemptorist Renewal Center in Picture Rocks, Arizona. Homeless himself for a while, Carl is the Director of the St. Francis Shelter in Tucson where Chuck is a board member …
Four Truths
Ten years ago, I completed and published my second novel, The Hamsa. The Hamsa is about human dignity, the fact that every child is born with human dignity, that it has NOTHING to do with race, religion or status in life, that NO ONE can take our human dignity from us. We can give it …