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Moments in Time: Helena, MT
This week’s “moment in time” takes us to Helena, Montana. The state capital of Montana, Helena, became known as the “Queen City of the Rockies” due to the boom of the 1864 gold strike. That said, baseball brings us to the beautiful city of Helena today—specifically, June 1996. We find ourselves at Kendrick Legion Field, home of the Milwaukee Brewers Rookie Ball Team at that time. I was a skinny 18-year-old boy playing for the Great Falls Dodgers, the Rookie Ball Team for the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was the opening night of the Pioneer League, and we had a road series against the Helena Brewers. Great Falls, Montana,…
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Moments in Time: Worb, Switzerland
This week’s “moment in time” takes us to Worb, Switzerland….specifically to a particular bench, one of my favorite places to sit and regain perspective. Worb is a small village southeast of the city of Bern. It was our home for 4 1/2 years while we lived in Switzerland. We loved it. We lived in a house that sat halfway up the “Worb Hill,” as we would often refer to it. Down the street sat the 13th-century Worb Schloss, Worb Castle. We stayed in the converted stable of the NeuSchloss, or the New Castle of Worb. Here is a fun fact about the Neuschloss: the Von Grafienrieds family has owned the…
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Random Thoughts on my 43 Birthday
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A Moment in Time
Sometimes, in our lives, we are fully present in a moment. Birth of a child, the loss of a loved one, falling in love, traveling, experiencing different cultures, or being taken over by the beauty of nature. During these times, our senses, minds, and souls are open to an enlightened grace and higher consciousness…we are open to a deeper reality and profound beauty. That said, there are other times when we see the same unseen truths only by reflecting on our past. As we reflect on specific moments, the hidden grace, beauty, and truth become visible through our ongoing life experiences. It is one of the many ways that getting…
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A Hidden Truth
There is a calming truth hidden with the tide.Repetitive,Releasing,Relentless,For those who pay attention. The surge rushes ashore.Carries,Crashes,Crushes,The burden of a mind. The ebb returns in peace.Slowly,Steadily,Silently,Purifying the content of a soul. The continuous pattern cleanses.Filtering,Freeing,Forming,A heart filled with gratitude. There is a calming truth hidden with the tide.Vitality,Vulnerability,View,Of a life not my own.
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A Fire of Hope
The light slowly and quietly breaks the dark condition of the horizon. The first glimpse of the sun gives energy to all who see and feel it. The canvas of colors instantly invites us into a renewal that we all know so well, for it is offered daily. A renewal of life. A revival of our hearts. A restoration of our souls. Peace. Beyond the peace, we feel a burning desire that smolders from within: a desire to start anew, escape the past, take a step forward, and breathe. We yearn to be fully alive right here and now in the present. We might call this intense desire Hope. Over…
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A Stomping Joy
Watching my middle school-aged son wrestle with his desire for independence while finding comfort in boundaries is entertaining, to say the least. The meltdown over cleaning up a granola bar wrapper and the contentment of knowing what is expected of him is fascinating to watch. Is it that upsetting that you are expected to throw the empty box of Pop-Tarts into the recycling bin instead of putting it back in the pantry? Which, by the way, is right below you? Being his father, I have found the answer to those questions to be a resounding “YES!” Of course, it isn’t enjoyable to him. It is a stage-appropriate resistance to both…
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A Beautiful Closure
There was a moment. Dawn. The birth of a new day. It was the eighth day of our return to Switzerland, and the first rays of sunlight illuminated the mountain peaks of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, or “the Big Three,” as we like to call them. I arose early and walked outside at 6:15 AM to catch a glimpse of the sights and sounds I missed in my dreams and conscious thoughts since we moved back to the States. As I began to walk the narrow paths and streets of Mürren, Switzerland, I rediscovered that deep sense of awe that had struck me so many times before. The air, the…
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Mystery and Mirrors
The winds were overwhelming but calming. The periods of rain were drenching but refreshing. The brisk air cut through your skin but awakened the very breath of life. Standing in its midst was somehow a confrontation with truth. The Highlands of Scotland, with its history and mysticism, struggle for freedom, and bloodshed was one of the most peaceful places I have been. Isolated by its barren lands yet consumed by its beauty, it was a paradox that touched me deeply. How could such bareness and lack of color produce such overwhelming beauty? How can a place engrossed with emptiness be overflowing with an undeniable presence? Standing in…
