“Who do you say I am?” Jesus asked. Apparently, the teacher thought what his disciples personally believed was more important than what other people said. There is a difference between simply repeating what the crowd said and learning what Peter and the rest had come to understand. The first represents the “cognitive ease” bias, in … Continue reading Parrots →

I’ve watched season one of “The Squid Game.” Besides providing a new understanding of what it means to be “eliminated,” the story challenged my perspective. For a long time, I’ve heard life described as a game. An old board game, “The Game of Life,” and recent computer games simulate various aspects of life. And the … Continue reading The Game →

“The slenderest knowledge that may be obtained of the highest things is more desirable than the most certain knowledge obtained of lesser things.” - Thomas Aquinas An acquaintance once told me, “everything in life is a metaphor.” While I wouldn’t go that far, it seems to me it would be a mistake to take everything … Continue reading Stories →

A Brief History of Lying In the beginning, there was a cover-up: “the man and his wife hid themselves…” (Genesis 3:8) Then blame was shifted: “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit...The serpent deceived me…” (Genesis 8:12-13) After a time, there was a plea of ignorance: “I do not … Continue reading Lying →

“I don’t know if this recording will ever be heard, but in a little while I’m going to hit “send” anyhow. I figure there is a chance, despite the transmission we received months ago. Lou said things on Earth had gone to shit and we might not hear from mission control again, much less expect … Continue reading Last Message from Mars →

"But though this be a state of liberty, yet it is not a state of license; though man in that state have an uncontrollable liberty to dispose of his person or possessions, yet he has not liberty to destroy himself, or so much as any creature in his possession, but where some nobler use than … Continue reading Freedom →

I was fortunate to travel to New York City from time-to-time in the early 1970’s. My father and I took these opportunities to watch the construction of the World Trade Center. After we watched the towers fall in 2001, it crossed my mind that Red Skelton was right. Red believed we are put on earth … Continue reading 9-11 →

One of my most unusual opportunities was teaching trumpet to “Mazeppa” from the Broadway show, Gypsy. In 1975, I got a call from the director asking me if I would teach the actress playing Mazeppa enough trumpet to play a few notes. We set up a date for her to meet me at the door … Continue reading Gimmicks →

“A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.” – C.S. Lewis We’ve been told to be proud of many things – our heritage, our community, our country, our children, and ourselves. Yet, we’ve also … Continue reading Pride →

While sorting things out at my parent’s house, I found a few items I made in high school shop class – a candelabra, a miniature anvil, and a center punch. My mother kept these mementos for me. I had all but forgotten about them. Mom was right, though. Seeing these things after so many years … Continue reading Respect →