There is no holiday equal to the Thanksgiving of my youth. It was a grand affair when women wore dresses and men wore suits and ties. As the New England weather cooled and the last brown, dry leaves fell from the maple trees, Halloween a pleasant memory, I looked forward to Thanksgiving at Babcie’s with …
Category Archives: Heroes
Toyland
Fifteen years ago, I began work on my second novel which was published in 2010 as The Hamsa. I still refer to it as ‘my holocaust story’ although it covers 26 years from 1918 to 1944 and the protagonist is a Polish gentile, Bronisław Czech, the 349th person incarcerated in Auschwitz. I pride myself in …
Hank Eichin Enters God’s Hall of Fame
I was schooled in sportsmanship by my father and a series of great coaches that started with Tom Farley at Pomeroy Elementary School in Pittsfield, Massachusetts during the 50s, then Rudy Benedetti at Pittsfield High School in the 60s, and culminated with Hank Eichin at the Air Force Academy in the late 60s and early …
A Good Laugh
Any time I need a good laugh, I go to this video. It has served me well for over a decade and I hold it in my favorites folder for ready reference. Thanks to this courageous boy and his inventive father for bringing laughter to the world.
Heroes Under Fire
I’ve been communicating for several hours since early this morning with my three closest contacts in Haiti. It started with Benoit who always begins each conversation asking about my health and my family and friends. His next statement was chilling. “The bandits are trying to kill me.” Justin confirmed the fear and urgency in Benoit’s …
Handyman
Chico is a handyman. He tackles many jobs many people in America will not because the job is below their station in life or because the pay is not enough. Some days, he works with James as a farmhand. Some weeks, he is very busy. Other weeks, he is not so busy. His needs are few. …
Palm Sunday and the Third Fall
The fourth part of my personal credo may be the most important… I am called to emulate Jesus… I am reminded of the magnitude of that aspect of my belief most strongly on Palm Sunday as I prepare to share with millions of people around the world the final steps of Christ’s final journey. Up …
The Alphabet School – A Literacy School for Adult Education
Five years ago, we first wrote about the “education triangle”, and we updated the original post in 2022 when we opened The Barefoot School. Speaking from experience, Mrs. tVM and I spent countless hours at the kitchen table helping our children with their schoolwork and encouraging them to complete it. I say with 100% certainty …
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Prayerful Momentum
Many years ago during a trip to Haiti, I had the pleasure and honor of sharing dinner with Patrice Millet, a CNN Hero of the Year in 2011. As we chatted over dinner, Patrice told me the final thing he did every day with the children and young people he worked with was to pray. …
Water, Children, and Angels
Water is essential for life on Earth as we know it. Yet how many times do we curse it as it overwhelms us with devastating floods… how many times do we raise our fists to the heavens as rain refuses to fall on the hard, sun-parched land? In America, we take so much for granted, …