Is it sad? or am I sad? can we be honest?
It’s interesting how language lives. It upgrades. It downgrades. It takes to the streets and to the wires and the wireless: it is news, radio and late night tv. Who would have ever imagined there would be an urban dictionary? Who could have predicted that words today would have such different meanings than they did […]
Words and how we use them
Words, so useful, so plentiful, but oh, so dangerous, so deadly. You, Sir, have given them to me as a gift. My life is but a word. How will I use it? To build up, not to tear down To tell the story of what You’ve done in my life To greet and get to know […]
Ex-Poser
You know it when you read it. You haven’t heard from this friend in a looong time, but it’s nice that they are trying to reconnect. You accept their friend request and they respond pleasantly enough. “Thanks for accepting my request. How are things going with you?” You send a brief reply, intending to follow up […]
Perfectly Proportioned
It’s empty now.Empty of the thimble that belonged to Momand the fragile figurine. Gone is thetiny pot with matching tea cups,spattered in blue paint. And themini toilet seat with lifting lid. Even the infant starfishthat accidentally tagged alongin our dive bag is somewhere’s else.So many treasures,gone missing orset aside for later days. It’s empty now.As […]
The Life of a Book
My paternal grandfather didn’t set out to be a writer. In fact, I’m told he wanted to be an opera singer. These aspirations took him traveling across Germany where he learned to speak the language fluently and, as it turns out, fell in love with the life and writings of Martin Luther. So much so […]
Leave no doubt
What if we forget? What if we don’t get around to it? What if we’re afraid?…to tell them…until it’s too late. I live among the self-sufficient. Everybody’s “got this.” “I’m good,” they say. They don’t need my help, don’t entertain my suggestion, don’t want my advice. In fact, accepting help taints their ‘I can do […]
You Have the Right to Remain Silent
Hang out… Listen… Walk in the truth. That’s what I heard in a sermon yesterday. The preacher is a young guy. Heck, Tim’s hardly even a thirty something. He’s a kid! And he’s got this nailed. Because he lives in the land of young people and he’s always looking around. He told us that these […]
Forward vs Foreword
Got a spelling lesson today. I’d never realized that the front matter of a book, the introductory pitch, written by some famous or inspirational person to get you to read what’s coming, is not a “forward” but a “foreword.” It’s not a ready-set-go. It’s a word that goes before. A preparation for what’s coming. It […]
Spell out the Joy
I form the letters on the side of the glass jar, drawing out the glitter glue which, I’m told, is expensive. “Don’t waste it. Make it last.” J – O – Y Scant. See-through. I have scraped the open end of the tube along, pulling the golden glitter into streaks and smears. Dismal. This is not […]
Are there layers to listening?
Folks today listen fast. We have to. We have information coming at us from all directions at rapid fire pace. Young people are unfazed by this. They’ve grown up with it and seem to have perfected the technique. The young woman at the register was completely amazing. I approached her to exchange a pair of […]