As a young boy I watched my father take a block of wood and hold it in his hands. Others saw a piece of rubbish, but my father saw the value hidden below the surface. He’d analyze the wood, turn it over in his hands, and examine it for imperfections. When he was satisfied, he … More Carving out my place in the world
It seems like these days pass so quickly that we often finding ourselves reading, appreciating the gift of a post, and then moving on too quickly. To extend some of the great notes of the week, we are trying out Well Said Saturdays – bringing a few quotes from recent posts forward. From Mother’s Day … More Well Said Saturdays – May 20
It seems like these days pass so quickly that we often finding ourselves reading, appreciating the gift of a post, and then moving on too quickly. To extend some of the great notes of the week, we are trying out Well Said Saturdays – bringing a few quotes from recent posts forward. From Growing Into … More Well Said Saturdays – May 13
It seems like these days pass so quickly that we often finding ourselves reading, appreciating the gift of a post, and then moving on too quickly. To extend some of the great notes of the week, we are trying out Well Said Saturdays – bringing a few quotes from recent posts forward. From Grace & … More Well Said Saturdays
Living in a very small, semi-rural town is important to me and I can’t imagine ever embracing big city life. I grew up one town over, although that town has changed dramatically since 1960 when my parents bought my childhood home. I believe the planners call it urban sprawl. Fortunately my current small town has … More The Essence of Community
Two weeks ago, I asked my wife to read one of my blog posts. She had already read it two other times, but she agreed, giving it one final review and told me that it looked fine. When I pressed her on an important change in wording, she laughed and said, “Yes, I saw that, … More Out of my comfort zone
Last week, my dear colleague, Vicki and I were talking about how in an uncanny way a post of hers that she written, but hadn’t yet published, dovetailed with something I’d just recorded in the podcast with Deirdre. It was something that could be interpreted as a beautiful moment of synchronicity but when it happens … More Originality
In my teaching career, it didn’t matter much to me whether the class was a lecture or a smaller discussion group. Making connections with my students and seeing them build a sense of community with each other always felt like job #1. Yes…learning names was the starting point…but I found it useful to go deeper … More The Power of Poetry & Place
Today, April 22, marks Earth Day. Next Friday, April 28th, marks Arbor Day. I continue to hope when I think about these two days. I direct that hope towards an increasing number of people gaining awareness of why these two days are marked yearly on our calendars and towards those who strive to learn the … More Quiet Reflection
Several years ago, my wife and I went to an office supply store to get a few Back to School items for her classroom. The school, located in an urban district, provides a budget, but it’s usually not much, so we usually cover the rest for paper, pencils, extra library books for her students, etc. … More Thinking like a kid
The Heart of the Matter 