Life with God
In 1969 a suburban Chicago businessman named Kenneth Taylor devoted his daily train commute to paraphrasing the Bible into modern accessible text. It was called the Living Bible and my copy was green. I slept with this book, hugging it as one would a stuffed animal or squishy pillow. At 13, I was too old... Continue Reading →
It's been ten years since the financial crisis. I can still see those dazed Lehman Brothers employees exiting their Wall Street offices, clutching brown boxes brimming with personal belongings hastily grabbed from a desk they would never return to. In 1991 I clutched my own brown box. My bank supervisor had called me into his... Continue Reading →
I struggle with insomnia. I fall asleep without issue, but my mind pops awake with important agenda items round about 2AM. My mind is a horrible boss with zero sense of humor. And it runs a bad meeting. First it has me revisiting the previous day's failings. The toddlers who cried nonstop at the the... Continue Reading →
Mr. Thayer's lecture was veering from the Revolutionary War to incidentals from his childhood. The hands on the wall clock refused to move. I was being held captive in 5th grade history, the last period of the day. The only positive was the window. I scanned the parking lot for our station wagon. Today my... Continue Reading →
My friend, Sylvia (pseudonym), was complaining that a co-worker, whom she had hired, was receiving a new title and a raise -- all while Sylvia had spearheaded projects that advanced company revenue. Sylvia was dispirited and determined to look for a new job. The Harvard Business Review describes 3 C's that employees desire - Career ... Continue Reading →
My parents attended an Episcopal church steeped in liturgical practices. Most male attendees were scratch golfers who wore pink ties even in the dead of winter. The women wore Lilly Pulitzer shifts with cable knit sweaters draped over their shoulders. Priests came and went - faster it seemed if they couldn't hold their own on... Continue Reading →
The evidence was clear. The theft had been videotaped for goodness sake. Granted, the image was blurred; the lighting at the Jewel store at 2AM had been minimal. But there he was, our defendant, a 20-something, African-American man reaching toward the cell phone display. Caught red handed, argued the prosecution. I surveyed the faces of... Continue Reading →
At 5:30 AM my mother's heels were on the move. Incessant and impatient - as if there was little time to accomplish her tasks. I'd bury my head in the pillow and try for another hour of sleep. What on earth is she doing? It certainly wasn't cleaning. Cooking? Maybe, since she likely had guests... Continue Reading →
Ten round kindergarten faces stare at my mother, eyes saucer-big. She's waving her hands in the air lamenting with the bride's father that the wine has run out. Then she's Mary pleading to her son for a miracle - Jesus reluctant at first, but finally producing the best wine Cana can offer. Mom deftly drops... Continue Reading →
