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The Whispers of Nature
I have to admit that I never think about Earth Day much, partly because my love for nature and creation is deeply ingrained in me; therefore, every day is an “Earth Day.” That said, I understand the significance of naming a day to ponder and take inventory of our common home and relationship to all things created. Here are a few thoughts on this day. Nature can teach us so much about ourselves, others, life, and God. It can bring us to the truth. If we are open, the mystery of nature can move us from the beautiful to the good to the true. The “big sky” of the upper…
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Facebook, Beauty, and Good Friday
I don’t use Facebook often, but when I do, I love the memories on my feed. You know the ones: “Three years ago today, you were here… Seven years ago today, you posted this,” etc. Last Friday, my Facebook memory was from 5 years ago in Venice, Italy. More specifically, it was a video that I had posted inside St. Mark’s Basilica during the Good Friday Celebration of the Lord’s Passion. After not sleeping last night, here are a few things that kept me up all night about the video and the significance of this day, Good Friday 2021. The music strikes me first in the video, a rendition of…
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Moments in Time: Dingle, Ireland
As many of us celebrated St. Patrick’s Day this week, we are on the Dingle Peninsula in southwest Ireland. Dingle is the largest town on the peninsula in County Kerry. The magnificent road that winds around the peninsula is called Slea Head Drive. A little side note: The westernmost part of the peninsula not only brings a spectacularly beautiful view of the rough surf of the Atlantic, but the islands off to the west are the closest part of mainland Ireland that you can get to the United States. A statue of the Cross is nestled in the rock just off the road. The scene from the crucifixion sits facing…
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Let’s Dance
I have not done much dancing of late. My days of getting down doing the running man or moonwalk have passed. That said, I couldn’t help but dance this week to a different tune. There is no secret how these times have been mentally taxing for many of us. No role, occupation, or vocation has been spared. This week, we got some bad news regarding the health of one of our sons. It is nothing serious, but it is heartbreaking for him nonetheless, as it will most likely prevent him from participating in his favorite sport for the foreseeable future. A participation that has been so critical for the mental…
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Moments in Time: Glen Coe, Scotland (Highlands)
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 your life. Standing in its midst was somehow a confrontation with truth beyond the ability to explain with my senses. Quite simply, it was one of the most mystical experiences of my life. Glencoe is nestled in the Scottish Highlands. It is about 100 miles or so from Edinburgh. If you leave from Edinburgh, as I did, you go through the lush greenery of the Scottish lowlands, passing many breathtaking lochs (lakes) and some picturesque towns. Stirling, for one, with its famous castle…
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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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“Shining Like The Sun”
There was a moment last week that gave me great pause. Standing in an outdoor shopping area, watching people walk by, I was struck with a profound wonder. Blame it on the COVID-19 shut-in orders, blame it on not being out and about regularly in almost a year, blame it on sitting every day with my 4th-grade son teaching him. There I was, engaging in an ordinary, mundane activity of heading to the store before a snowstorm, yet being swept away with wonder and awe. Namely, to be in the presence of others. What a gift. Standing still and watching people frantically move about to get milk and bread before…
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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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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.
