Fruitful Detours
One of the most interesting tools for treating anxiety, trauma, and some other psychological concerns is mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness allows individuals to look at their own thoughts without getting caught up in them. Jon Kabat Zinn describes mindfulness as “Paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” As you might imagine, that is […]
I received a picture of a bunch of plants in pots from a good friend, and her post said, “Time to plant!” It is springtime, and new growth is everywhere. This is a beautiful time of the year, and I love to see the changes that move us from the desolation of winter to the […]
For several years when I was working at the VA, I lived in one place and my wife Lisa lived in another. I was concerned about how we would navigate this situation at first, and I’ll admit that there were times when it was very difficult. We got through it pretty well, with only a […]
A little while ago, my friend Bishop Karen Oliveto wrote this on Facebook, and it feels like a prayer that we need right now: Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, […]
I’ve been going to church (Catholic Mass, actually) every week since I’ve been in Mexico, and I can’t understand a word. That’s not completely true — I can pick out individual words (more now than when I first got here), and I am familiar enough with the service that there are a few times each […]
I’d like to spend some time on assessing probabilities, and particularly trying to understand our choices when faced with medical statistics. This post is on my geeky side, so I won’t be offended if you skip it. In general, we are terrible at statistics. My Dad used to say, “The lottery is for people who […]
I’ve been reading about some killings of journalists in Mexico, and of a judge in Colombia. All of these murders have been linked to drug cartels. There is crime everywhere, of course, and in Chicago where I live, the murder count is terrible. When I tell people that I am in Mexico, their first question […]
I thought I’d share a few more pictures of Mexico while I’m here. The colorful sights are everywhere here. Not everything is beautiful, but it is all interesting.
I have a friend whose Mom died just a little while ago. They were very close, and the woman who died was a wonderful, selfless person. Her death was anticipated, and it was gradual. There was a movement from loss of independence to getting some help at home to getting some help at a facility, […]
I can’t fully explain my interest in learning Spanish. I enjoy traveling, and being more comfortable in the local language makes travel easier. There are 18 countries and 360 million people around the world that speak Spanish, and that’s a lot to explore. I have always liked learning new things, and this allows me to […]