No Safe Distance

From My Bookshelves: Something for Everyone

Check this section for more peeks at my bookshelves. Looking for something helpful to read? Follow your nose and see what you come up with.

The Journey by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice --

If St. Francis Really DID Come Back...

he'd probably act a lot like my father. This is Part 2 of my "How's your Dad?" update.

(Here's Part 1, in which you learn about turbulators and cathodes. And remember,you can friend me at FB to have full access to all my videos, including the riveting story of my first hockey fight and me singing on a dare. If you find things here get heavy and you want to come play for a while, that's the place to do it.) In this video, you even get a special guest appearance from our most daring squirrel, Super Dave, who managed to land on the bird feeder without mishap (this time).

My Very First Hockey Fight

The Awesome World of Turbulators and Cathodes

For those of you who have been wanting an update on Dad, or for those of you who just want some silly stories, allow me to regale you with a few more "Frankisms"...

(And for those who are likely to ask, the granola du jour is apricot almond sesame.)

Looking for a Compelling Spiritual or Philosophical Read?

This is a randomized carousel of a few of the favorites from my own collection. This widget program only allows for 10 books so check this section for more posts with different sets of 10 as I gather them for you.

I Don't Know a Soul Who's Not Been Battered

Want a Good Book Recommendation? Here are Ten to Check Out

I am gathering for you the books I find myself going to reliably as resources, that I frequently recommend to clients (who have found them valuable) or were simply such compelling (or maybe just fun) reads that I am happy to recommend them. This is a randomized carousel of some of my favorites. This widget program only allows 10 books so check this section for more posts with different sets of 10 as I gather them for you.

If you are looking for books on specific topics, you'll just have to kick around in the various carousels as I get them created. Use the Force, Luke. You'll find something worth reading here, I am confident.

For Those in The Garden...

Here's a little something for your Good Friday. I come from a cheesy time, yes, but you have to admit, it's a lovely song and certainly near and dear to my heart as some of you will no doubt appreciate. Please give a thought to those currently in their own Garden of Gethsemane.

And you know, never did I think I would end up with a Christian vibe on my blog, long ago fallen away Catholic that I am, but you can't spend any time contemplating life with a 34 year quadriplegic and not be touched by the depth of suffering those who face mortality daily go through, how powerful faith can be (and is) in sustaining life, and the pain of those who have to stand by and watch the story unfold (if they even stay awake for it) go through.  If, as I believe it was Mark Twain who said, "You may be the only Bible someone else ever reads" I could not have read a better book than the Book of Michael. Talk about a Living Word.  He embodies his faith and is a pillar of strength that I can only hope to emulate. I doubt I'll ever return to active Catholic worship, or regular church attendance of any kind, but Good Friday services with Michael...that is a horse of an entirely different color. If Church had been like that experience for me, I never would have left.

Where Even the Gods Speak of God

Self-Portrait

It doesn't interest me if there is one God
Or many gods.
I want to know if you belong -- or feel abandoned;
If you know despair
Or can see it in others.
I want to know
If you are prepared to live in the world
With its harsh need to change you;
If you can look back with firm eyes
Saying "this is where I stand."
I want to know if you know how to melt
Into that fierce heat of living
Falling toward the center of your longing.
I want to know if you are willing
To live day by day
With the consequence of love
And the bitter unwanted passion
Of your sure defeat.
I have been told
In that fierce embrace
Even the gods
Speak of God.

~ David Whyte ~

(Fire in the Earth)