Robert Fulghum once asked a Greek philosopher named Dr. Papaderos, "What is the meaning of life?" as they concluded a class taught by the professor.Papaderos could see that Fulghum was serious. He took a small mirror out of his wallet,…
In a world were life feels dismaying, and yes, unnerving, emotional armor is tempting, even consoling. I can tell you that my heart gives way to tears, anger, exasperation. And too often, I do not have the words.It is no…
“I think my nervous system is starting to fray,” a reader wrote. “Is that weird?”“No,” I replied. “I can tell you that you are not alone.”In today’s paper, conflicts, bombings, and war dominate the headlines. Yes, our world feels fragile.…
My heart hurts. And feels very soft. Maybe you can relate?It is as if the nervous system of our country continues to fray.And this I do know: We live in a world where we are primed to see a soft…
A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands…
Going through his five-year-old son's backpack, a father found a picture of a little boy standing under a rainbow crying. His first thought was, "Oh God, my son is having some serious problems."When he asked his son about the picture,…
At the base of a volcano in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, there is an orphanage. Although Third World orphanages aren't normally festive places, on this day, at this time, there is reason to celebrate: the arrival of a young…
A couple anticipated attending the opening of a new museum exhibit.At the last moment, their childcare plans fell through. They were left with the only option of taking their young daughter, seven years old, with them. They expected that the…
In junior high and high school, we had a well-known bully. And he followed the script, carrying himself like the world revolved around him.He did attend most of his classes, and when not in class, walked the hallways with an…
Changes mess with us. I wish it weren’t so. You know, messes with the tidy (manageable and predictable) script—for our day or our life—that we tote for mental security. You know, about the way life “should be.” But when the…