I rarely engage in political discussions and avoid them in most cases. This post is about as political as I will get. The fact is, we inhabit a politically driven world and the influence of politics on our lives is sadly inescapable. While I have many friends, I have a small circle with whom I …
Author Archives: tVM
The Star Thrower Revisited
In recent days and weeks, I’ve revisited “The Star Thrower” story. This story from Loren Eiseley’s 1969 book The Unexpected Universe was the subject of one of our earliest posts a decade ago. Its value remains true and unquestionable: If you base your choices on what is right, then what you do will make a …
No One Should Be Lost
As I prepared to park at Dwight’s company this morning, two young men approached me and asked in barely discernable English if I was “Sandy *****.” When I answered ‘no,’ they asked if I knew him. I noted a parachute logo on one man’s jacket. Since we stood a stone’s throw from SkyDive Arizona, I …
Never Too Old to Learn
I love language. Though tempted to learn Esperanto – a constructed, international auxiliary language – I focus my current efforts on Haitian Creole. Many years ago, I coordinated trips for well-intentioned Americans to visit Haiti for one week. The visitors could participate as ‘instructors’ in ‘English classes’ given to the Haitian children. After several trips …
How We Want to Live
“O Lord, hear my prayer and let my cry come unto you.” Psalm 102 As a daily Mass attendee for six years, I’ve recited Psalm 102 many times as a responsorial psalm to daily readings. I thought about it this week when my friend Justin posted this picture from our kitchen in Cité Soleil, Haiti. …
Earthquake
Those who follow our website understand our connection with Haiti. As I worked the farm early yesterday morning, I received a text from my friend Gail Rongen in Florida alerting me to the earthquake that struck the island nation. Although saddened by the rising death toll, I am relieved to report that late yesterday afternoon, …
Street Cleaners Beat Guns Into Brooms
“If you want to change the world, make your bed…” So begins the first chapter of Admiral McRaven’s treatise on how each of us can positively affect the world we live in and make it a better place to be. Not one of the young people of Guepard Boxing Club in Cité Soleil, Haiti has …
Spiritual Understanding
In a December 2017 interview with Kozo Hattori and Pavithra Mehta from Awakin.org, Dr. Manulani Aluli Meyer said, “A spiritual understanding not practiced under fire is without value.” This is as profound a statement of spirituality as I have heard. It was part of her answer to the question, “Your Greatest Inspiration.” Dr. Aluli Meyer grew up …
I AM
As we hunkered down over the Arizona weekend under biblical monsoon rain, I encouraged my friend Dwight to watch Tom Shadyac’s 2010 documentary “I Am.” True to form, he did, and when I asked him what he thought, he replied, “Everyone needs to watch this film.” I first watched “I Am” a decade ago, recommended …
What Your Right Hand Is Doing
As our farm develops, donors have been stepping up to keep the GBCCS kitchen operating four days each week. As much as I would like to share some incredible stories about our donors, I’ve decided that moving forward, I will heed the advice of Jesus, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds …