It was Thich Nhat Hanh that redirected the path of my thinking many years ago. Until that time, I thought I was quite aware of what a chair was. It must have hit me at a vulnerable moment when Thay said, A chair is made of non-chair elements. Drunk with exhilaration, I tried to share… Continue reading A Chair is Made of Non-Chair Elements
Category: Life Adventures
Whose Nightmare is This?
I woke from the stabbing pain of shingles. I drearily tilted my neck to see the bottle of aspirin on the table. With large red numbers, the alarm clocked said 1:11AM. The date glowed with equally beautiful symmetry- 2/2/22. I had taken two pills before I went to bed. I suppose one more wouldn’t hurt. … Continue reading Whose Nightmare is This?
Paradise is here. Paradise is now.
I once went with a friend to see Thich Nhat Hanh when he came to my town. From a distance, I was proud to see the man who had already transformed my life with his teachings. There are many that have not seen him personally. Fortunately, we are now bestowed with his wise teachings that… Continue reading Paradise is here. Paradise is now.
A Great Leader Does Not Have to March With a Sword
Perhaps it is once in a lifetime a leader arises amongst us to remind us what is important and to challenge our thinking. Thich Nhat Hanh taught us that a fearless leader does not have to be a powerful warrior. Thay’s power came from something much more effective than a sword and shield. His power… Continue reading A Great Leader Does Not Have to March With a Sword
There Are Many Paths to Enlightenment
Many years ago, shortly after becoming a father, I felt the need for my growing family to have spiritual guidance. I was raised in the Protestant faith and my wife was Catholic. We settled on going to a Presbyterian church close by. I yearned for a universal truth about how we can be the best… Continue reading There Are Many Paths to Enlightenment
The Sea of Interbeing
Nearly a decade ago, Thich Nhat Hahn’s simple, yet profound words showed me how everything we see and cannot see is wondrously woven together in a sea of interbeing. I had never given previous thought how a cloud, the rain, a tree, and a simple sheet of paper are dependent on each other. Thay matter-of-factly… Continue reading The Sea of Interbeing
Be Thankful for your Suffering.
Hooray! I survived Covid (actually, being vaccinated I recuperated quickly.) But I got shingles at the same time! I feel somewhat slighted because I couldn’t separate the Covid experience with the other ailment. I’m not complaining. Soon I will be jumping around. I try to live as I teach and I am thankful for this… Continue reading Be Thankful for your Suffering.
Touching the Universe
Many years ago, shortly after becoming a father, I felt the need for my growing family to have spiritual guidance. I was raised in the Protestant faith and my wife was Catholic. We settled on going to a Presbyterian church close by. I yearned for a universal truth about how we can be the best… Continue reading Touching the Universe
Pal was a good dog
Pal was a good dog His house was small. Dad said he was warm at night. Pal had a chain on his neck. The chain came off. Pal ran in the street and got hit by a car. Pal was a good dog. Photo- 1963.
Thirty Years and a Tiny Dream
Thirty years ago my wife, Carmen, and I opened a small jewelry boutique that was half the size of our tiny one-room apartment. We started slow. It was all we could afford. After a few newspaper ads, customers trickled inside. Looking back, it is amazing the amount of jewelry one could buy for only a… Continue reading Thirty Years and a Tiny Dream
Mourning
Do not make yourself look haggardly or unkempt when you grieve. You do not need to show the world you are grieving. If you hold joyful memories in your heart, and know that you contributed more happiness than sorrow to your loved one, you must not frown, but be joyful. If there is consciousness beyond the grave,… Continue reading Mourning
My Ring is Turning My Finger Black
The problem of the black finger has always been a mystery. Even though a ring can be 14K gold or higher alloy, a person’s finger can suddenly turn black. Usually this can last from a day to many weeks but the problem usually goes away. Unless the ring was created with a high percentage of… Continue reading My Ring is Turning My Finger Black
The Secrets of the Universe
As a young adoptee I had one simple quest: to find my birthmother. Twenty years later I found her, but she had already died. I did, however, joyously find loving aunts, uncles, two brothers, a sister, and even an 87-year-old grandmother! When it rains, it pours. My mission was successful, but a new quest began:… Continue reading The Secrets of the Universe
I Never Asked to be Born
I never asked to be born. But I’m glad I was. I never met my birthmother or father. But I’m glad they met one another. That’s why I can type this. Whew! Their acquaintance was probably anonymous and brief. Sometimes humans need something from another at particular moments in their lives. Sometimes it’s a need to… Continue reading I Never Asked to be Born
Would I Be the Same Person?
Although I loved my adoptive parents, I always wondered how I originated on earth. Mom and Dad we’re both fair skinned. Dad was tall and slim. I was olive complected with thick, dark, curly hair. Dad’s nose was long. Mine was wide. The Holy Bible always rested in the living room. Through the miracle of DNA and the help from… Continue reading Would I Be the Same Person?