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Coming Out of Hibernation
As we come out of hibernation due to the lockdowns, is anyone else feeling overwhelmed by dealing with other people again? My patience is razor-thin when interacting with others in any capacity. Don’t get me wrong—being around, conversing with, and engaging with real-life people has been wonderful, but my patience is already fried. One area of concern I have noticed is the complete chaos on the roads. We all are a bit rusty regarding four-way stop signs, driving in the passing lanes on the highway, and overall driving skills. What in the world is going on out there? Another area of anxiety arises while visiting stores, specifically the local Wawa…
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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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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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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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Modern-Day School Day
It is a lunch break, so I have time to throw some thoughts together as I sit with my 4th grader. So here it goes. To the children who hold back tears throughout the day when they feel completely overwhelmed with virtual school, you are not alone. To the parents who balance so much at the moment while watching the frustration build in their children only to be the ones to catch the brunt of that frustration, you are not alone. To the excellent teachers doing fantastic with what you are being asked to do, given the circumstances, you are not alone. With all of this tension and frustration, it…
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Random Thoughts on my 43 Birthday
