Letter from Birmingham Jail

Some things are not meant to be forgotten.  Fifty-three years ago on this day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. penned his “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”  The letter is one of those things that must remain an important part of human thought. Five years ago, we first posted a piece that speaks to the heart of …

Mitakuye Oyasin

Those of you who regularly follow this website know that one of my favorite expressions is “Mitakuye Oyasin.”  I learned it many years ago.  As a Buddhist or Hindu might greet you with “Namaste,” “I salute the God within you,” the Sioux Indian would say, “Mitakuye Oyasin,” which means “We are all family.” As I walk …

Our Greatest Blunder

Redemptorist priest Pat Hawk spent his last day on earth three years ago in 2012.  He was a quiet, contemplative man.  Although I did not know him well, I did attend several of his open ‘pathless path’ sessions at the Redemptorist Renewal Center in Picture Rocks.  Father Hawk was a Roshi, a highly venerated senior …

God’s Hall of Fame

My mother passed away in August 2010; she died in the middle of the night in an assisted living facility not far from our home.  My father passed away 24 hours ago; he died peacefully in his own bed in this house just like he wanted to.  He was two months shy of his 93rd …

The Town by the Bend in the River

Several years ago, my friend Gerry told me the story of the star thrower, which I often refer to in posts and general conversation.  It is a terrific story with an important message: you can choose to make a difference regardless of the circumstances stacked against you. I have come across another story that I …

The Greatness of a Nation

A few weeks ago as my friend Ch**k was driving down the road chatting with me on his cell phone (VERY safely I must emphasize  [and I have disguised his name so he will not get in trouble for driving and talking at the same time]), he was unable to avoid a small Arizona ground …

The Most Beautiful Story I Have Ever Read

In 2014, I have read three books by Minnesotan Kent Nerburn.  I know him for his stories on Native Americans. Last week as I searched for new books for the bookstore I volunteer at, I found a book written in 1999 by Mr. Nerburn titled Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace, Living in the …

Jimmy Stewart, Beau and Heaven

Last Sunday, my friend Father Charlie gave a ‘remarkable’ homily about a ‘remarkable fellow.’  His sermon was grounded in the 1927 silent film “7th Heaven.”  I did my research and found “7th Heaven” on YouTube.  I learned that there is a 1937 remake with Jimmy Stewart.  Both versions are available on YouTube. Last night, Mrs. …

Jesus and the Disinherited

I never knew who Howard Thurman was until January 2014.  I know it was in January because that is when I posted “A Place for Angels,” a post about Howard Thurman that was well received.  I believe in angels just like I believe dog is man’s best friend.  That’s reality. I finished Thurman’s book Jesus …