Faith
God Winks
This is my story about three friends linked in a way that beats all odds. R. has been my friend since I was 11 and she was 13. We met at Fort Eustis, Virginia, while both our fathers were doing their two-week yearly reserve officer duties. These Virginia trips...
Narrow is the Way
The hawk glided on the thermal, gracefully veering left then right. Below in the valley sat a red three-story building — a long rectangle with large ells jutting here and there from its four sides. The structure stretched for a mile. A plume of smoke wafted from the...
Mind Your Mind
After shouting at the politician being interviewed on the morning news, I reminded myself he couldn’t hear me. And even if he did, he’d care nothing for my opinion. No matter what side of the aisle is yours, there’s plenty to disturb one’s inner peace. And worse than...
Take Cover
The cold war was raging when I was in grammar school. We rehearsed hiding under our desks in case a nuclear bomb destroyed everything in sight and irradiated everything else. Yep. Those desks would surely protect us. Then, in geometry class in high school, I jumped at...
New Year New Job
She was tough, but with a soft heart. That may be why she was such a good spiritual mentor to incarcerated women. The power source for this 90 plus year old woman became clear when I read the sticker on her car: “I work for the Jewish Carpenter.” Yes! I...
Ceasefire
What’s your Paradigm? Visiting is one thing. Spending months in another part of America is another—like coming from the third largest city in a blue state to a small rural city in a red state. While I love Rochester, where I was born and raised, I fell...