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Eyes Without a Face
Early in the pandemic, whenever I wore my mask at the grocery store, the words to a Billy Idol tune immediately came to mind. Bagging my asparagus, I couldn’t help but hum “Eyes Without a Face.” Over the last few months, I have thought of that song at every store I have been to. (Admittedly, I sing rather than hum, which is beside the point.) Although I love 80s music, specifically that song, something else sparked the lyrics. When mask restrictions are in place, we may be invited to a more profound way of seeing one another. Like most things, we may be offered a more truthful way of seeing…
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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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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…
