I awoke before the alarm—not an uncommon or surprising occurrence. I headed toward the kitchen to see if the coffee was perking yet; it’s on a timer so that it can be ready when I am. The wind was surprising this morning. It was still quite dark out, but I could hear the sounds of … Continue reading Standing in the Storm
We were sitting around the table in Grandmother Musser’s dining room. We had traveled to West Virginia for Thanksgiving, as we had many times before. It was the home place, the place the family gathered, the place where my in-laws had grown up. Since we didn’t want Grandmother to have to cook everything or work … Continue reading Pie for Breakfast
I’m heading to a holy place. In a few days I will be driving to the knobs of Kentucky, to Nelson County in the heart of bourbon country, to spend some precious time in silence and solitude. For nearly 30 years I have been making an annual pilgrimage to the Abbey of Gethsemani. It started … Continue reading More like the Monks
There’s a lot of shouting going on these days. Conversation has turned into contention. ‘Civil discourse’ has become less civil with each election cycle. Here we are a day or two ahead of mid-term elections and from the sounds of the commercials you would think that no one running is worthy of being elected—to hear … Continue reading Political Table Talk
I was a mess. At least, that’s what it felt like to me. I had had high hopes and here I was in the midst of the depths. I had thought I had some of life figured out, but I was struggling to keep my head above water. Breath and a pulse were about the … Continue reading Many Excellent Mistakes
Thursday afternoon she was lucid. She was tired, but that has been the norm for quite some time now. She was aching some all over. But she knew who she was and where she was and who was with her. She understood that we were talking with a social worker from hospice. She did not … Continue reading Hester the Great
I had an unusual experience not long ago. My daughter had put in a request to have Irish Beef Stew for supper, and by that we mean real Irish stew made with Guinness Stout. I am not one who buys alcohol on a regular basis. I found the beef, some Dubliner Cheese (I did say … Continue reading Young Man Stares at Sixty
We got a new tent in the mail this week. Our old tent had bit the dust after about 20 years of adventures. It had endured much in its time; it had served us well. But it was getting a bit worn—pinprick holes and tiny tears from falling acorns and pine cones and general wear … Continue reading Temporary Structures
This weekend was an anniversary of sorts. Each September 22 marks another year of my ordained ministry; 27 years and counting at this point. I reflected on that event and wrote this piece which I shared with some others who were just beginning their journey. Men’s hands, women’s hands, left hands, right hands—I do not … Continue reading Hands
Dislocation leads to disorientation. When we find ourselves in a new setting, then we have to rediscover our identity. The old haunts and habits are being replaced. The common familiarities are slipping away. The people we knew are seen less often. Our whole sense of self gets skewed with a shift in location. Our identities … Continue reading Who Am I Now?
Character in the Making 