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A Plea for Truth
As our National Independence Day has come and gone, the state of our country continues to experience turbulent times. Problems that have been thrown onto us (Corona-19) and problems we have thrown onto ourselves (racism and its after-effects). It is also an election year that can bring the noise to a deafening pitch. It can be hard to decipher what is true through 24/7 news headlines and the blurbs and opinions from our social media feeds from all sides claiming to speak the truth. This reflection is not a political plea or to give another opinion to the millions already out there; instead, this is more of a plea to…
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Gift of Silence
Due to COVID-19, the world community has paused. Humanity has been forced to stop, allowing for a type of collective vulnerability that has rarely, if ever, happened before. This shared experience has forced us to examine ourselves individually and culturally in ways we might never have been able to do during our times of “normalcy.” The first observation is one of sadness. Sadness for those who have died, usually alone, and for the families who have had to watch a loved one die from afar. Sadness for the millions who have lost their jobs and, with that, their dignity, and now struggle to find ways to support their families and…
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The Greatest Illusion
For the last few nights at the dinner table, we have been reading excerpts from the book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. I can’t recommend this book enough, whether you are 12, 22, 42, or 92 years old. This passage from the book struck me most last evening… the dialogue between all four characters (boy, mole, fox, and horse) stood lakeside, watching the beautiful and peaceful swans pass by. “How do they look so together and perfect?” Asked the boy. “There’s a lot of frantic paddling going on beneath,” said the horse. “The greatest illusion,” said the mole, “is that life should be perfect.” -Charlie…
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Listening to Time
Tick. Tick. Tick. If we are quiet enough, the constant tick of a second hand can penetrate the subconscious and even seep into the depths of our souls. It is the sound of a more profound truth that we both yearn for and fear. I remember hearing a story in Switzerland, the land of “time,” about a young gentleman who came into a store to look for a watch. After inspecting a particular watch for about five minutes, he looked up at the owner and asked, “What can it do?” The store owner replied, “It tells the time.” “That’s it?” asked the young gentleman, and walked out. Time is an…
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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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Perfectly Average
Without a doubt, being a parent is one of the most rewarding and challenging vocations. Every parent knows this. This certainly isn’t anything new. It truly is self-giving. This is probably why it is so rewarding: because it isn’t about you at the end of the day. As parents, we certainly get our daily reminders of that. (The once-a-month slight nods of appreciation from our kids before returning to being unable to put their dirty dishes in the dishwasher, WHAT IS THAT!!) I recently talked with some parents about our kids being average. I remember the look on their faces as if I called my son a bad word or…
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Baseball, Friendship, and Bathroom Prophecy
Since returning to the States, it has been great to reconnect with some friends. Due to the time difference while living in Switzerland, it was hard to connect even if the desire existed. That said, it’s incredible how easily you can pick up right where you left off with your close friends. This made me think, what makes a connection like this possible? One good friend of mine is someone that I met while playing professional baseball. We were both 18 years old and fresh out of high school. We immediately connected with the same love of music, but honestly, besides that, there wasn’t much of a commonality. He was…
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Age of Wisdom
There seems to be great freedom that comes with age. A year ago, I read an article suggesting that those in their 60s and 70s were the most content and happy. This is fascinating. I remember a gentleman walking the neighborhood around my boy’s school. I would always notice him and watch him. In some ways, I marveled at the possibility of being like him one day. He was always alone and walked at a very slow pace with his cane and cigar. He never said a word; instead, he just observed. Plus, he had a very cool hat that he would wear during the colder months. What was it…
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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…
