News & Articles
A Thank You, Not a Goodbye
Being in my mid-seventies, I am facing what everyone my age faces—the increasing number of my close friends dying. The past few years have been particularly marked by grief. Some of my friends died after long illnesses; others died suddenly. It is common to describe all these deaths as “losses,” and, of course, there is…
PLAY BALL
Perhaps we all have thought at one time or another, “If I have to make another decision, my head is going to explode.” It is true that we can become overwhelmed and worn down when we are faced with one decision after another. Taking a nap can be a good response when the “decider” part…
Pursuing the Good Life
Once students wrestle with these thinkers, they realize that the secret of living a moral life will never be found on a poster or bumper sticker. Investigating the moral life takes time and effort, and then committing to live morally is the work of a lifetime. Focusing on the moral life—what is it and one…
The Art Of War
What images come to mind with the word “war?” For much of human history, artists working for pharaohs, emperors, kings, queens, sultans, and tsars portrayed war, especially victorious battles, as glorious moments in history. However, much of how war has been portrayed changed with the advent of photography. Even when viewed today, early wartime photography…
Caretakers Of Stories
Writing non-fiction and fiction for nearly thirty years hadn’t prepared me for the eager response that I received when I began offering writing workshops. In my first workshop in a small town in northern Wisconsin, a wide-range of people attended, who wanted to write poetry, fiction, historical non-fiction, devotions, family histories, and memoirs. In a…
Finding Meaning In The Eclipse
In just a few days, we will experience one of the great differences between the ancient and modern worlds. I’m referring to the solar eclipse which will bring thousands of sun-gazers to our county. Driving through downtown Franklin last week, I saw signs of how we modern and scientifically-educated people are dealing with the coming…