Keeping the Family Safe

Various blogging experts have expressed the view that we should only write positive material so that our readers will like us and come back to read our commentaries in the future. I’ll be the first to admit I’d rather read and write positive stories any day. And yet… In all … Read more…

On Timid Feet

We have been and still are celebrating a Holy Season — for Christians and Jews alike — with its attendant joy, blessings, and feelings of gratitude. Yet, as another New Year fast approaches and we begin to turn our thoughts to what it might bring, there is trepidation. True, the … Read more…

God is No Respecter of Persons

Deep pain results from hearing someone say, “It’s their own fault” when someone whose life doesn’t meet their definition of righteous is murdered. It’s a torment that doesn’t easily go away. Everything in this fallen world too often reeks of tragedy: From the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida in … Read more…

You Are Unique!

I’ve felt sad for a long time whenever I’ve seen people trying to live up to the expectations of others, whether the aspirations stem from family, peers, co-workers, or culture. It is forced upon them, and some cultures are more cruel to their children about excellence at all costs than … Read more…

It Isn’t Just Religion or Politics

Almost anyone past the age of 11 knows not to say anything even a tiny bit controversial about your religion or your parents’ opinion of the current political mess. That means not even within your own family — unless you want to turn important dinners or other family get-togethers into … Read more…

My Non-Review of a Book

Recently, I had the opportunity to review a non-fiction, non-religious book. I won’t name the author or the book because only a few pages into it, I found myself disagreeing with a major premise, and greatly disliking his repeated use of a four-letter word. A more polite substitute carries the … Read more…