21st Century Prophet

In the tanakh section of the Hebrew Bible, we meet the great prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and others.  They share an ability to consider  the past, look squarely at the present, and predict or imagine a future.  Listening to or reading these men’s words stirs...

A Mercy Door

On December 6th, Pope Francis opened the massive door at the Vatican, officially beginning the Year of Mercy (2016).  This is a Jubilee year in the church’s calendar, so historically the sitting pope has opened this giant portal as part of the celebration in Rome....

Patches

After 21 years with my beloved companion cat, Sophie, I knew I wanted to wait before visiting my local humane society to see if a kitten might want to go home with me.  A couple of months went by and I began to feel the emptiness of my big old house—I knew I needed...

The Luxury of the Illusion

Following a recent physical exam, I was sent for an echo cardiogram because my GP heard a heart murmur. The cardiogram tells me I have something called aortic stenosis, meaning a valve to my heart has shrunk and may need attention. Because at 78 I am blessed with...

Grieving For a Tree

In my back yard has stood for who knows how many decades a majestic elm tree.  Each of its three trunks has been massive with the first growing straight up into the sky.  The other two have fanned out to make a graceful and huge canopy, shading my house from the...