The first-grade class assignment: to name the seven wonders of the world. Each student compiles a list, and shares their list, aloud, with the class. There is ardent interaction as the students call out entries from their lists: The Pyramids,…
In his book Too Small to Ignore, Wess Stafford (President of Compassion) tells a story from his childhood on the Ivory Coast of Africa. About a village visited by a convoy of French colonial officials for a government survey. Their…
I spent the weekend with a great group of people at Mary and Joseph Retreat Center, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. And my walk each morning to Del Cerro Park overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Well, overlooking the morning fog that covered…
On my walk yesterday, the usual mental litany clattering for attention. Pondering Sabbath Moment topics, unpacking news headlines, wondering about my procrastination with a book project (accompanied by a generous dose of grief).And only one goose at the pond. Very…
On my morning walks, I sure do miss talking with the sheep. I’m grateful for the place they gave me. To pause. To be still or talk, either. To listen. To laugh and cry. And yes, to try out a…
My friend Tim Hansel wrote a book on parenting. He asked his young sons, "Boys, how do you know Dad loves you?"He figured that they would say, "Daaaad, remember when you took us to Disneyland, like for 10 days!" They…
Discouragement and weariness take a toll. More often than not, when we don’t even realize the weight.That means it is story time.“Remember on this one thing, said Badger. The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them.…
Every evening when the guru sat down to worship, the ashram cat considered himself a welcome participant. But the cat was there to make friends, and his commotion distracted the worshipers (each of them hoping to reach a heightened meditative…
I spent the weekend leading a retreat at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, Arizona. A sanctuary in the desert. The retreat, Real People. Real Communication. You know the adage: Relationships wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the…