Thoughts in the wake of a tragedy

They say it is the worst mass killing on U.S. soil, and it happened today. Fifty people dead, and 53 more wounded, they say. All across social media, people have one resounding question: WHY? May I suggest a simple reason?
Get Back on the Bike [An Encouraging Word]

“Why does this always happen to me?” Bradley had fallen a second time on his bicycle, his 7-year old, 72-pound frame tangled up in steel and rubber with a handlebar poking him in the belly. The injuries to his body weren’t serious, but the hurt in his heart was real. He actually hadn’t been falling much at […]
Anniversaries and Expectations [An Encouraging Word]

Two years ago today, my wife and I said “I do,” and we’re not doing a thing to celebrate. Why not? First, we both work today, and second, we’re watching our finances, staying on-budget and paying off debt (you know, those boring details of married life that don’t get special days or cards or celebrations.) For […]
Nightmares [An Encouraging Word]

It was 4am when my son’s little hand rapped loudly on our bedroom door. The “shave-and-a-haircut, two bits” pattern I taught him echoed through the caverns of my subconscious mind, dragging me up from a deep, clear sleep into the groggy fog of a much-too-early morning. “Come in” I moaned, loud enough for him to hear through […]
Two Perspectives on Pull-ups in the Pool [An Encouraging Word]

The clock was ticking, and we weren’t getting anything done. My son Bradley loves the pool, and this particular morning I had agreed to join him in “training” together, practicing laps to help us both prepare for the triathlon he wants to do with me in the fall. There, in tepid waters of our little […]
The Paper Clip [An Encouraging Word]

I confess, I probably love paper clips a little too much. I am that guy who will throw away a whole stack of papers but remove the paper clips first so I can reuse them. I carry two of them on my keychain and others in my car. I’ve used them for clipping papers, of […]
Running Again

Running Again (Or, “How the Worst Itch Ever Reminded me of the Best Fix of All”) The itch was so bad I could barely stand it. There I was, surrounded by the beauty of a fresh sunrise, sidewalk-jogging past a serene waterway and a meticulously trimmed golf course, and all I could think of was […]
Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights (Or, “How I Found Perspective Because My Son Really Had to Pee”) My son really had to pee. We’d been driving for an hour through a display of brilliant Christmas lights in a neighborhood miles from our home. The Christmas music was turned up, the windows were rolled down, the atmosphere was festive… […]
Don’t let politics derail your perspective

An Encouraging Word DON’T LET POLITICS DERAIL YOUR PERSPECTIVE Today my friend texted me in despair. “I’ve given up on everything political,” he said. “If things are going to change for the better, it’s going to happen by changing the hearts of men.” How right he was. Today’s landmark Supreme Court decision will forever alter the […]
Are you ready for delight?

An Encouraging Word ARE YOU READY FOR DELIGHT? I’ve never been very good at packing in advance. When I was a boy, our family would go on vacations to various places, and there was always packing going on until the very last minute…and sometimes a little beyond. We scrambled to get ready because we knew […]