In the song “The Tears of a Clown,” Smokey Robinson captures the essence of hiding pain behind a smile. For five years, this song resonated deeply with me, reflecting my journey of silent suffering. Today, I want to share this personal story, not just as a cathartic release but as a beacon of hope and understanding for others who might be traversing a similar path. The Facade of Happiness Outwardly, I’ve always been perceived as a joyous, exuberant individual.... Read more
Self-awareness, the deep understanding of one’s own thoughts, emotions, motivations, and values, is a cornerstone of personal development and a fulfilling life. Sadly, and paradoxically, many people navigate through life without truly knowing themselves. In this article, we’ll delve into why this is the case and why the journey to self-discovery is not only worthwhile but pivotal for personal growth and happiness. One reason most people don’t know themselves is because of the relentless pace of modern life. We live... Read more
I have a love-hate relationship with Thanksgiving Day. On the one hand, it’s a great time of family and feasting, producing egregious amounts of food that cannot possibly be eaten; on the other hand, it serves as a good excuse to gather together with folks you couldn’t care less about for the rest of the year. I also detest the symbolism of “thanksgiving,” as it was all built on a lie. That whole story about the natives helping the pilgrims... Read more
I have long supposed that if marketing companies would study my wife, they’d have all they need to sell all they have. Case in point, electric vehicles (EVs). My wife hates them. Unlike many EV adversaries, though, she has some data points — her husband (yours truly) has had one for the last six months. Now, before I get into her dislike of EVs, let me say I love mine. It’s a Tesla Model 3, and — in my humble... Read more
One of my favorite songs from my younger days is “At Last, I Am Free” by Chic. In this song, composers Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards craft a beautifully orchestrated, wonderfully vocalized, and masterfully arranged ode to an escape from an abusive relationship. While the number of such relationships in my life is asymptotically close to zero, this song always moved me emotionally. In that sense, the song was prophetic — in many ways, it sort of tells the story... Read more
What is your measure of success? No one or no thing is 100 percent reliable. The best we can hope for is something asymptotically close to that vaunted level of perfection. Commercial air travel is one of those things. I think it is the closest thing to perfect ever devised by humanity. Virtually every plane that takes off lands successfully. Travel fatalities are calculated by number of vehicle miles traveled and, to get to the first commercial aviation fatality, over... Read more
Back in my preaching days, I always looked forward to the miraculous. Whenever I saw some symptom cured or some illness reversed, I’d “thank and praise god” for the manifestation. Today I’m far less convinced. I am of the mindset that miracles emanate from the psyche of people and have a distinct, empirical, logical explanation. The bible (buybull) is chock full of miracles. Multitudes being fed. Sick people healed. Blind eyes opened. Deaf ears hearing. Even the dead being raised. ... Read more
One of the most disgusting bible stories is when Jesus made mud out of spit and anointed a blind man’s eyes that he might see. Gross, right. But here we are in 2022 and spit is a thing — in church. Before I get into this, let me say that — among the bible’s miracles, this is probably the nastiest and the one any reasonable preacher or pastor would avoid. I mean, healing the sick might be a good thing.... Read more
A wise man (who may have been either a fictional or composite character) once said, “the thief is come to steal, kill, and destroy, but I am come that they may have life and have it more abundantly.” Before I unpack this, a little backstory… When I was a young minister of “the gospel,” I was taught that this thief was “satan,” or “the devil.” This was my working understanding of this for many years and it made sense —... Read more
Mainstream — and even much of “off-the-beaten-path” — christianity is centered around the concept of worship. I was taught — and taught others, myself — that God desired worship and that it was essential to your christian life to worship. But, like most things christian, I found a problem with this. Believers in christ love to ascribe anthropomorphic characteristics to god but only when it’s convenient. Like “god is a good father” but “he must punish sin.” Or, “god is... Read more
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