Today marks the beginning of Thanksgiving week here in the U.S. It’s hard to think of a more wonderful holiday, for the only things you need to do are eat a lot of delicious food and give thanks for your blessings. I’ve been looking for something to post about gratitude and came across this article in the Atlantic, one that at first might seem like a bad fit: Jonathan Rauch’s The Real Roots of Midlife Crisis. But the more I reflect on it, the more... Read more
Today is Veteran’s Day in the U.S. In honor of the holiday I want to tell you of a veteran-themed pilgrimage spot in Iowa—well, to be more precise, make that 26 pilgrimage spots, with the number rising each year. The story begins in a movie theater in 1999, when Bubba Sorensen, an art and design major at Iowa State University, was watching the movie Saving Private Ryan. Viewing the World War II tale of heroism and tragedy made him want to do something to honor... Read more
The picture at left (a sign we saw in Reykjavik) begs the question: why in the world would one want to unleash one’s inner Viking? They were, after all, the feared Northmen who plundered and raided the coastlines of Europe for hundreds of years, beginning with the sack of the English monastery of Lindisfarne in 793. I knew the reputation of these bad boys on my family tree before visiting Iceland. But while I was there I visited a number of... Read more
There are times when we English majors simply have to concede that images trump words. Today is one of those times, for I honestly don’t know how I can adequately convey the beauty and grandeur of Iceland’s Ring Road. Bob and I spent eight days driving this 2,000-mile route that winds along the coastline of the main island of Iceland. When we started, we kept comparing the landscape to other places we had seen, from Scotland and New Zealand to Wyoming. But gradually we fell silent,... Read more
One of the things I love best about my work is the chance to meet spiritual leaders in a wide range of traditions. Of all the people I’ve interviewed, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson is one of the most interesting. Hilmar is a well-known musician, film composer and art director in Iceland who has received a host of awards, including being named European Film Composer of the Year in 1991. But I wanted to talk to him because of another role he... Read more
Soon after we arrived in Iceland, Bob and I were browsing in a small town shop when the clerk saw me looking at some figurines for sale. “We have a lot of elves in Iceland, you know,” she said. “More than half of us believe in the Hidden People.” When I asked if she herself had ever seen one, she assured me she had. “Go up to the park on the edge of town early in the morning and you might... Read more
Yes, I know it’s a cheesy photo. And those horns are totally wrong, because Vikings didn’t wear helmets like this. But something about visiting Iceland has put me in a playful mood, despite the fact the country threatened me with an exploding volcano, buffeted me with wind, froze me with cold, steamed me like a lobster in outdoor hot tubs, and led me across many a hill and dale in a vain search for elves. I’ve forgiven Iceland for all of... Read more
Several years ago I visited the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky, the Trappist monastery where Thomas Merton spent many decades. I was excited to get the chance to interview the Guest Master at the abbey, but as the time approached for our meeting I found myself getting nervous. How does one interview a person who’s taken a vow of silence? (Well, they’re allowed to talk a little, but you know what I mean.) What could I possibly ask that didn’t sound trite to... Read more
If I get to heaven, I hope St. Peter will give me two things once I enter the Pearly Gates: a cup of coffee and a lawn chair. I’m going to tell him that while I tried my best with more standard spiritual practices, some of my most transcendent moments have come while sitting in a beautiful spot while camping, a steaming cup of java in my hand. I had this epiphany about the spiritual power of coffee while on our recent... Read more
Today we travel east from Mesa Verde for about a hundred miles to Chimney Rock National Monument. Now I realize Chimney Rocks are a dime a dozen around the world. But I think the more you learn about this one in Colorado, the more intrigued you’ll be. Chimney Rock National Monument preserves an ancient astronomical site on top of a high mesa surrounded by mountains. A thousand years ago, the mesa was occupied by Ancestral Publoans (the same civilization that lived at Mesa Verde). The... Read more
Holy Rover
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