A cartoon in The New Yorker shows a doctor walking towards a sick patient. The doctor says, “Good news, Mr. Figby! The insurance company says you’re well.” Saying so doesn’t make it so. Even when the “saying” is done by the authorities. To access this post, you must...
In 1803, a British civil service job was created. A watchman was told to stand on the Cliffs of Dover with a spyglass. It was an important job. He was to look across the English Channel toward France. When he saw Napoleon coming, he was to ring an alarm bell…...
I told this story in one of my books. But it’s worth repeating and retelling. The story is of a traveler who approached the gates of an ancient city. The gatekeeper sat quietly, and listened as the traveler announced that he had left his old city and was looking...
An old cartoon features a fairyland that was tyrannized by a dark force called “The Shadow.” All the fairies, elves, and animals in the kingdom fled in terror of “The Shadow.” The residents lived in such fear and trembling that the entire kingdom was about to turn...
Every person you meet today is hurting deep inside from something. Go gentle into this good day. I wrote those words after reading a heart-wrenching short story by Raymond Carver called “A Small, Good Thing.” It’s a story two families . . . a baker and a couple who...
Not long ago a member of the church gave me a magnet to put on our refrigerator. Now, this is not one of those nice sayings or cute little ornaments. No. This was a miniature ironing board, iron and can of spray starch. That may not be significant to you… To...
