Category: Life

  • Transforming Purpose

    Transforming Purpose

    Years ago a friend told me that he was sad because he didn’t know his life’s purpose. For some reason, I had never thought about that concept before. And so, because I didn’t know how to take what he was saying seriously, I insensitively reacted with laughter. This upset him, which only made me laugh…

  • Communicating to Death (or some better title)

    Communicating to Death (or some better title)

    “Urkel is dead and I can’t breathe.” Those were the words Oprah spoke to the interviewer when they asked her about one of the most recent casualties of a senseless shooting. I couldn’t breathe either. How could Urkel be gone? He held the hopes of so many of us. He had achieved the dream and…

  • Powerful Beyond Measure – Part 1

    Powerful Beyond Measure – Part 1

    I remember when I first received the email. I was sitting in my cubicle—a place that didn’t reflect my inner life. I don’t remember who the email was from. But, it was one of those inspirational emails that starts off lifting your spirits and then lets you down by saying that you have to send…

  • Breaking Through Before Breaking Free

    As I prepared my sermon for this Palm Sunday, I felt this sinking feeling. At first, I couldn’t figure out what it was. The truth is I’ve never been a holidays person. Even as a child I asked, “Do we have to do this Christmas thing every year. Actually, I get anxious during almost every…

  • Those Who Lose Their Lives…

    Those Who Lose Their Lives…

    Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me…

  • Don’t Let Death Get In the Way

    How Would You Live if You Knew You Couldn’t Die? Death is so annoying. That’s how I feel about it right now. It is annoying, because for so many of us, the fear of it is a distorting filter that obscures our ability to live a true life or to relate to others who are…

  • Who Are You Ashamed For?

    Is it possible for humans to create or invite in the possibility of a shameless society? Or, is shame an integral part of group building and maintenance, without which there would be more chaos than we currently witness? One of the most difficult things about engaging with groups is the tendency of collectives to try…

  • Ghosts of Suicide

    Ghosts of Suicide

    I am not one of those people who believes that people ever get over the traumas that happen in their lives. Rather, I believe that we either learn to live with them or we expand to leverage them. In my own life, I can admit that I  have never gotten over anything in the conventional…

  • The Choice for Choice

    The other day I came across an email from 2008 that I sent to a group of friends at the dawn of the election of President Obama. On the surface, this might seem like a political email, but from my perspective, it is an appeal to people to seek consciousness in the choices we are…

  • How To Win At Losing

    I am not a victim! I know this for a fact and at the same time I cannot deny that there have been people, systems, and deep ignorance aimed in my direction attempting to make me one all of my life. But not just me. Since people have been people, there have been those who…