For Father’s Day, here are some of my dad’s best remarks. Dad is 95 and I doubt he would remember saying most of these, but somehow, they have a way of resurfacing in my mind, usually at odd moments. I believe most fathers and father figures have said similar things to pass along what they … Continue reading Thank You, Dad
Author: mmwordsmith
Who Am I? Why am I here? Why are any of us here? These are first-class essential questions. The kind of questions many people laughed about when Admiral James Bond Stockdale posed them in a vice-presidential debate in 1992. Who wants a politician to wax philosophical when he could act like he knows all the answers? Apparently, people like me. The need to question and reflect seems to be part of my personality - an inextricable part. I believe I need to take these kinds of questions seriously, but while doing so, try not to take my answers or myself too seriously. My guess is as good as anyone else’s, after all. Maybe the lesson, if there is one, is to struggle with questions like these, to stretch my capacity for understanding, to challenge my ability to tolerate divergent views, to look at life creatively, to remain unafraid to cling to old ideas when they are good and move on to new ideas when they are constructive. The great moral philosopher, Red Skelton, once said he believed we are put on earth “to create and not to destroy.” I sincerely hope my stories and musings will somehow help others grapple with their own questions and follow their best impulses towards creating a better world.
Making Stuff Up
Four decades ago, there was a scandal at my university. One of the pastors from the founding church sent an “open letter” to as many church leaders as he could. Given that this was well before the advent of the worldwide web, such a scandal would likely be far greater today. In short, the man … Continue reading Making Stuff Up
Warped Words
“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.” “The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.” “The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master—that's all.” – Lewis Carroll, … Continue reading Warped Words
Hindsight
The idea of time travel fascinates me. I’ve seen far too many movies and television shows related to time machines. In the interest of full disclosure, I believe the past is the past. What has happened has happened. There is no “going back.” It seems to me what matters most is what we do in … Continue reading Hindsight
Perelandra
Almost 50 years ago, two things happened that did not seem all that important at the time. The first was accompanying a friend to a concert by Kenny Burrell, a legendary jazz guitarist, then reading the review in the paper. It seemed to us the reviewer had attended a completely different event. We both thought … Continue reading Perelandra
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The recent shootings of people going about their lives all point to a larger problem. Previously, in “68,” I proposed putting our fears aside. Yet, that’s incredibly hard to do when we are repeatedly told to fear everything. “They” are coming for us. “They” want to take our stuff. “They” want to sell us drugs. … Continue reading 23
Goldilocks
First some numbers. In 1955, when I was born, the population of the US was a little over 161.1 million. Today it is over 336.3 million. In other words, the population has more than doubled in my lifetime. In 1855, the population was 26.7 million, less than 1/12 of today’s count. The US now has … Continue reading Goldilocks
The Choice
“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are … Continue reading The Choice
The Price of Knowledge
When I was boy, I went to a “revival” with my grandmother. The preacher made a point I still hear now-and-then. In short, he said it wasn’t the Romans who killed Jesus and it wasn’t the Jewish people who killed Jesus – it was us – all of us – each of us – it … Continue reading The Price of Knowledge
Behind the Magic Trumpet
How my mind puts bits and pieces together… Once upon a time, my trumpet teacher, Louis Davidson, let me read a short letter he received from a young man in Africa. As I recall, either Louis or one of his colleagues had sent him a trumpet and some method books. This was long before the … Continue reading Behind the Magic Trumpet
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