Less than a few hours of oxygen remain on the small submersible that imprisons five passengers in the freezing North Atlantic. Millions of people are praying. Millions of people also believe in the power of prayer. Surely this concentration of thought will lean toward a positive result. Surely with our focused intention our prayers will… Continue reading To whom are we praying?
Category: Childhood Memories
The Truth Bridge
I talked to an old friend for the first time since I was a young teen. He was black and lived on an adjacent street. I used to sit behind him on his bike with the banana seat as we pedaled to the corner store for a bag of chips and a soda. I was… Continue reading The Truth Bridge
The Empty House
The living room of my childhood home in New Albany, Indiana. 1725 Grantline Road. I always wanted to slide down the stairs but the post at the bottom would surely cause embarrassing injury. If one was obese it may have been difficult to squeeze through the narrow archway to the kitchen. The heating vents were… Continue reading The Empty House
Courage
I loved my adoptive mother but I didn’t always agree with her. I’m glad she taught me to stand up to bullies and defend myself. But I remember her instructing me to stay away from the problems of others. Perhaps she thought if I shielded myself from conflict I would somehow be protecting myself. Later… Continue reading Courage
Concrete Gray Steps
This is my childhood home in New Albany, Indiana. In the summertime the hot sun would blaze behind the house where I would sit on concrete steps and squint into the sky. Gray paint would always flake off the steps like dried flower petals. As golden rays soaked into my bare chest I would try… Continue reading Concrete Gray Steps
Henrietta Lukemeyer
Henrietta Lukemeyer was an elderly lady who lived down the hill from my childhood home in Indiana. She rarely stopped by to say hello to my mom, but when she did I remember her positive energy and politeness. She always wore a smile and smelled like fresh flowers. Sometimes she sold Avon products door to… Continue reading Henrietta Lukemeyer
Never Be Afraid of a Bully
When I was a child, my adoptive father would always joke with me, telling me that he and my adoptive mom picked me out from a room of babies. "I want the curly-headed one over there," he told me he said to the nurses. For years, I happily believed this story of my beginnings. When… Continue reading Never Be Afraid of a Bully
We must not Stand Silently
Sometimes a seemingly insignificant event in one's life may later turn out to change that person forever. That person was me. When I was a teenager I took my girlfriend to the fair with friends. An elderly lady was caught in a bustling strip of rides and fairgoers and was knocked down by some running… Continue reading We must not Stand Silently
Blinded by our Light
At an early age, my adoptive mother taught me to be compassionate, kind, and to respect every human being. She instructed me to be slow to anger, to laugh at myself, and to look at myself first before finding fault in others. She told me to enjoy life without fear and to always stand up… Continue reading Blinded by our Light
Belching at Grace Lutheran
I accidentally projected a tremendous belch at the lunch table at Grace Lutheran Elementary in New Albany. Mrs. Moore demanded to know from where the origin of the discharge came. "Who burped!" she growled. The kids at the table became silent and stared at me. Determined to find the source of the unwelcome noise, she… Continue reading Belching at Grace Lutheran
Things My Mom Taught Me
1. Things always get worse before they get better. 2. It always takes more time getting there than coming back home. 3. You cannot teach an old dog new tricks. 4. The idea of Christmas should not be, ‘I give you- you give me.’ 5. It is far better to give than receive - Jesus.… Continue reading Things My Mom Taught Me
Shelly Perkins
At times I believed I was the only boy living on Grantline Road, for my neighborhood roamed with females. Older girls with larger physiques eventually subdued me during any test of muscular strength. Every week I faithfully claimed a different girlfriend, in which my love was steadfast until it was time to chose another. Except… Continue reading Shelly Perkins
Open your Eyes and Dream!
I was seven when I had my first lucid dream. Of course I didn't know the official name, but I did sense "I know I am dreaming." I was at the landing of our creaky staircase of my childhood home, three steps from the bottom. I saw my surroundings from my point of view, noticing… Continue reading Open your Eyes and Dream!
Dreams of Stardom
"Hello Matt! It is great to find you on Facebook," I typed on my tablet. It was so nice to catch up with Matt. He had a great sense of humor and a jolly laugh. I hadn't heard from Matt for over forty years since German class in High School. Two years earlier, Matt was… Continue reading Dreams of Stardom
The Grocery Store
The old woman bumped her shopping cart head-on into moms. "Goodness, M.. I'm sorry," the old woman grumbled. "Oh, that's okay," mom said apologetically with a big smile." I guess I shouldn't have stalled in the middle of the aisle." Mom's cart was not in the middle of the aisle, and the old woman simply… Continue reading The Grocery Store