My Mother Died Today
Written December 27, 2020. My mother died today. A long-expected shock. A dreaded relief. She’d been sick for a long time. We knew her days were limited. Nothing prepared us …
A Human Chain Saves the Day
Before their stay, I’d only briefly met the young man and woman who rented out the lakefront tiny home on our property through an online platform. Now I know them …
Politically Homeless
Hey, y’all. I have a few reflections on the election. I’m no journalist, but rather a counselor. My area of expertise is human psychology, so I tend to see world …
Navigating Conspiracies
COVID-19 has churned up its share of medical, economic, and political froth, hasn’t it? I’ve never seen so much turmoil on such a global scale. It’s pandemic pandemonium. Not surprisingly, …
Still in There, Tim?
God had given my nephew, Tim McGuire, a dream. His trip to Madagascar as part of his Masters degree in international development put a fire in his bones to start …
A Valentine of Sorts
The holiday began as Lupercalia, a spring festival which included fertility rites and the pairing off of women with men by lottery. The pope eventually replaced it with Valentine’s Day, …
Earth Lost an Angel
On October 8, 2019, according to my daughter Kimmy, “The earth lost another angel.” This blog is my eulogy for that angel, Ani O’Conner. Kimmy knew Ani well, having babysat …
Listening Saves Lives
Do you remember the Waco, Texas 51-day siege of the Branch Davidians in 1993? Studying about it recently reinforced my belief in the art of listening. Did you know that …
My Apology to Freddy
Twelve-pound, chihuahua-Jack Russell-mix, white-and-brown, short-haired, big-eared Freddy had been with us for only six years.
Friend Breakup
My hesitancy in talking about my friend breakup stems from the fact that it happened with individuals who remain somewhere in my extended social network, and I don’t want to …