Simple Wisdom December 2009: no. 7
The Danger of Fame
Fame.
A few months ago, prompted by all the news about Michael Jackson’s troubled life and drug-related death and the similarities between him and Elvis Presley, I started to think about the dangers of fame. And when the travails of Jon and Kate (of the Plus Eight television show) became known, I sat down and wrote a first draft of an essay on that topic. But I got busy with other priorities and I set it aside. Well, with the recent revelations about Tiger Woods and his family, I decided it was time to finish that essay. Read more...
Simple Wisdom October 2009: no. 6
Monk and Me
These days it seems that there is a “National Awareness Week” for just about every disease or cause or social issue under the sun. If you’re like me, it’s tempting to roll your eyes when you hear about something like National Kidney Stone Week. And then you meet someone who really suffers from that particular malady and you realize that every problem is, for someone, life changing. Read more...
Simple Wisdom August 2009: no. 5
No Legislation Without Participation
As I’ve grown older I’ve come to the conclusion that the best ideas are not usually the most sophisticated ones, and in so many cases, they seem patently obvious. Read more...
Simple Wisdom July 2009: no. 4
The Scarcity of Heroes
When I was a kid, I loved watching movies about heroes. Whether it was George Washington, Jackie Robinson, Thomas More or pretty much any character played by Jimmy Stewart, I was drawn to people who stood up for what was right even in the face of great criticism, opposition or persecution. As a result, I assumed the world was full of heroes, and I wanted to be like them some day. Read more...
Simple Wisdom April 2009: no. 3
The S Word
Recently I received a note from a reader, I’ll call her Carrie (because that’s her name), asking a question and suggesting that I answer it in this POV. Essentially, she wanted to understand why socialism is a bad thing, especially in the context of the Christian commandments to love thy neighbor, care for the poor and avoid materialism. This is a terrific and important question, one that is not discussed enough in society. Read more...
Simple Wisdom March 2009: no. 2
A Blessing or a Wound?
Okay. This financial mess we’re in is definitely a crisis. The full extent of the problem is unclear, but a few things are likely. It is global. It will be long. And for those of us under the age of seventy five, it will probably be unprecedented and, thus, will change our lives. Read more...
Simple Wisdom February 2009: no. l
Love is a Verb
It amazes me how the simplest of truths are so easily forgotten, and how much pain in life is a result of that forgetting. One of the primary examples of this is the concept of love. Read more...