One of the interesting things that has happened as I have gotten older is that my memories of my father and the role that he played in my life have evolved and changed. I have come to appreciate more and more the lessons he taught me as I have struggled with raising my own children and making my way through life.
It’s one thing to know that your father’s heritage was German and your mother’s was Irish and quite another to actually experience those cultures first hand. Living in Germany for several years allowed me to understand my father far better than I ever did while he was still alive. A vacation in Ireland had the same result for me with my mother.
One of the most picturesque places in Colorado is the Lake Dillon reservoir on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains, not far from the world-famous ski slopes of Vail and Aspen. This is a story of a special adventure there.
Have you ever stepped off a plane in a foreign land, and suddenly felt more at home than you have ever felt before? (ti amo = I love you)
This is a tribute to two of my high school teachers – one of history, the other of Shakespeare – whose commitment to opening doors utterly transformed my entire life. It is also an expression of gratitude to each and every teacher today who, despite the nightmare of this endless pandemic, continue to make a difference with our young people today.
Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and still categorized as an active volcano, although the last eruption happened more than 400 years ago. It is a cultural icon of Japan that has inspired artists, poets and pilgrimages for centuries. I promised myself that climbing Mt. Fuji was something I would do someday. “Someday” came in the summer of 2007.
The mass shootings of Asian-Americans and the murder of George Floyd are just among the more dramatic of the many news stories of racial profiling, discrimination and injustice over the past year. There was a time when I thought that what I had achieved in my life were things that I had earned through hard work and preparation. I didn’t believe that the color of my skin had anything to do with it. This is my story of discovering just how wrong I was.
Interviewing guests for a podcast or a video broadcast doesn’t seem like it should be so difficult – until you try it. The very best hosts are the ones who really listen to their guests and make them feel like they are the most important person in the world. This is an ability that can change our whole life.
The intimacy of the cyclist with the countryside during a bicycle tour fosters a deep connection with the land that is not possible in any other way. It sounds romantic, but the experience can sometimes provide a less-than-positive but nevertheless valuable life lesson.
As we approach the one year anniversary of Germany’s first lock down, I am reflecting on how it sparked a renewed and more intimate love affair with nature that continues today.
The idea of being as old as my grandfather when I was young was simply incomprehensible. I realized recently that that strange notion is now reality. Here are a few musings about aging.
Everyone who has had a dog knows how much they change their lives. This little black, furry bundle of love and joy, though, has taught me far more about life and love than I could ever have imagined.
