Happy is the man
I had the day off for Veterans Day. I drove some country roads I hadn’t been on in years. Eventually my driving brought me to a familiar stop. I arrived at Abbey of the Genesee and the first person to…
The way
Recently when working in a client’s home I began to speak of Rumi and my client spoke of Rumi and Wayne Dyer. This discussion was joined again last Friday night at half time of a basketball game as I met…
First Snow
This morning as I opened the garage door and prepared to enter my car I was presented with a familiar sight. I was greeted by snow on my car. Eventually in my area which lies in the shadow of Lake…
Father Stephen
This story came in today’s mail. I thought it was too good not to share. There was an old Father at Gethsemani-one of those people you get in every large community, who was regarded as sort of a funny fellow.…
Stark contrast
Today, on Fox News Sunday, George Herbert Walker Bush appeared with Chris Wallace in a segment that really speaks for itself. The senior Mr. Bush gets emotional in discussing the treatment afforded captured Iraqis by U.S. soldiers in 1991. I…
Olean Airport
I drove up to Olean Airport in nearby Ischua, New York on my way home from Mount Irenaeus this afternoon to see how the improvements were progressing. This year has seen a complete remodeling of the offices, a new roof,…
The Israel Lobby
Today I was in a bookstore and I came across a book who’s title really caught my eye, “The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy.” I made a note of its authors and when I returned home I did some…
The people groan
The following prophetic words came from Sojourners today. I get a regular mail from Sojourners and many days like today the quotes really speak to what is going on in my life or in our national political dialog. Today was…
Wes Clark
In the last five years I’ve had to listen to right wing chicken hawks impugn my generation and while they beat the war drums for their trumped up war in Iraq. Now of course this same malevolent element is trying…
An enlightened person
To say that one practices zazen in order to become an enlightened person is like saying one practices medicine to become a doctor. To practice medicine is to be a doctor. To practice zazen is to be enlightened. Enlightenment is…