the wisdom

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.

Anatole France



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Is Your Light On?

I am ten and it is late October in Waterloo, Iowa and it is the last Halloween that I know I can officially go out and trick or treat. I am at that age—next year I will just be too old…

In Praise of Richard Stands

In kindergarten, I always wondered who Richard Stands was because we always gave a little shout out to him in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Sidebar: The Pledge of Allegiance was something we said after we had our breakfast of Tang and Space Sticks…

The Betwixt and Between

lim•i•nal•i•ty: a psychological or metaphysical subjective state, conscious or unconscious, of being on the “threshold” of or between two different existential planes.
I harbor a deep and growing resentment toward the horoscope in the Sunday paper. I repeatedly tells me *today is a 7*. I cannot get past a 7. Every flipping Sunday—7.

You Are Your Actions

Drowning and Swimming – both involve water and splashing about but, of course, you’d never confuse the two. You may think that’s a ridiculous statement but reflect a moment: there are choices you make, things you decide to do that make you sink like a stone in life yet you tell yourself that they represent forward motion.

There is a Cat Box My Love Bagua…Please Discuss

I am a confident driver. Out of my way—yield to me. That feeling you have, other driver? It’s you knowing in your core that I have the right of way…

Pitch Perfect Perspective

There are points in your life when you want things to be different and you feel like you don’t get much say in the matter. The all consuming desire for that which eludes you…

Spectacular Balls

I have a theory: Feeling like you’re going to lose is the same thing as losing. You may disagree. Obviously one happens in your head and one happens in actuality.

The Art of Controlling the Skid

There is some beauty in the blur as things are changing. That smeary moment of endings and beginnings—like runners exchanging a baton—there’s always a little overlap.

How to Increase Your Sense of Wonder

I miss eating snow. I do not miss living in a cold, frozen clime—but I do miss taking a mittenful of snow and eating it—without caring if it was dirty.

Splitting the Atom

“Tell me what you want.”
How often does someone ask you this? I bet it’s not very frequently. More importantly, how often do you ask yourself?
“Tell me what you want.”