“This is the reason I created the circle of trust – so we can discuss these things.” – Jack Byrnes What are your favourite movies? You know, those movies that you’ve watched a hundred times but if someone suggested a night that includes red wine and that movie, you would cancel the meeting with royalty…Continue reading Lessons from the Fockers: The Circle of Trust
Category: Sociology
My Addiction to Certitude
There are all kinds of addicts, I guess. We all have pain. And we all look for ways to make the pain go away. – Sherman Alexie – In a recent conversation with a friend on the topic of liminality and religion, I entered a path of greater self-discovery. The question he posed that allowed…Continue reading My Addiction to Certitude
Unsubscribing from Normal
As I opened my emails one morning and started deleting about twenty of them without even engaging with the content, I knew it was time for another ‘unsubscribe’ purge. Over several years I had subscribed, or was subscribed by the invisible email subscription ghost, to dozens of newsletters, specials, advertisements, health tips, etc, etc… and…Continue reading Unsubscribing from Normal
Psalm 139: Treasures of Darkness – Guest Post by Tim Carson
Friends make the world a much better place and when you find a new friend you feel the universe smiling on you 🙂 This is a guest post by a new friend, Tim Carson. Tim is a writer, musician, holds a D.Min, pastor, traveller, horseman, scuba diver, healer, and when the weather is fair found…Continue reading Psalm 139: Treasures of Darkness – Guest Post by Tim Carson
Disturbing the Ant Nest: Let’s Talk About Expectations!
“Expectations were like fine pottery. The harder you held them, the more likely they were to crack.” Brandon Sanderson – The Way of Kings When I was a child, my parents and I would take walks in the forests that grew rich and lush around the little village we called home in Northern Germany. Ants…Continue reading Disturbing the Ant Nest: Let’s Talk About Expectations!
The Great Unknown – Guest Post by Mark Conner
A guest post by my life partner, Mark – The Great Unknown: Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of me finishing up 32 years of employment in the one place and stepping out into the great unknown. [See my post from February 2017 called “Time to Say Goodbye” and a poem I wrote in December…Continue reading The Great Unknown – Guest Post by Mark Conner
Dismantling Our Ivory Towers One Human Story At A Time
“Each member (of society) must be ever attentive to his social surroundings – they must avoid shutting themselves up in their own peculiar character as a philosopher in their ivory tower.” Frederick Rothwell (H.L. Bergson’s Laughter, 1911) For anyone who has ever attempted to learn a new language, you may have found that exercise both…Continue reading Dismantling Our Ivory Towers One Human Story At A Time
Patience or Procrastination? Know the Difference … Know Thyself
“The two hardest tests on the spiritual road are the patience to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed with what we encounter.” – Paulo Coehlo – I often wonder how much of what I call “Patience” is simply me avoiding a decision that I do not want to make?…Continue reading Patience or Procrastination? Know the Difference … Know Thyself
Why don’t you all take a hike?!
A repost and a good reminder for 2018! “There comes … a longing never to travel again except on foot.” Wendell Berry, ‘Remembering’ “Komm, wir gehen im Wald spazieren”, was our family weekend anthem when I was growing up. “Let’s take a walk in the forest.” Like all children, I often had much better things…Continue reading Why don’t you all take a hike?!
In Hindsight: Reflections on Regret
“I see it all perfectly; there are two possible situations — one can either do this or that. My honest opinion and my friendly advice is this: do it or do not do it — you will regret both.” – Soren Kierkegaard – I still remember the first time I heard the notion of living…Continue reading In Hindsight: Reflections on Regret