Walking with Thoreau

From Henry David Thoreau’s essay “Walking” published in The Atlantic Monthly, June 1862. “I have met with but one or two persons in the course of my life who understood the art of walking, that is, of taking walks…” “He who sits still in a house all the time may be the greatest vagrant of …

Well-Being

Norwegian philosopher Arne Næss equates ‘glow’ with fervor and joy. This morning, I bask in the glow of accomplishment.  Twenty-five months after writing the first sentence, I can call my seventh novel complete… “Until the railroad comes in 1863, Amersfoort claims nothing of particular importance other than, perhaps, the Tower of Our Lady, one of …

Write Your Own Caption

In an age where video screens and consumerism hold our children captive, it’s refreshing to see kids actually outdoors, exercising their muscles, their minds, and their spirits, AND engaged in FACE-TO-FACE relationships with other kids, adults and creatures as well. They remind me of my little buddy Conor and his sister Samantha who lived next …

As the Winter Solstice Approaches

I think a lot about light, maybe more during the Christmas season when there is less of it than at other times of the year. My friend Father Paul frequently quotes words from Stephen Schwartz’s Godspell lyrics But the tallest candlestick Ain’t much good without a wick You’ve got to stay bright to be the …