When my grandson Will was a small boy, he used to stand in front of the full-length mirror in their front hall and talk to his reflection. These were not short greetings, but long dissertations—especially for a three-year-old. His parents, Suzy, and I were always fascinated to overhear the discussions, but we were careful not…
True Patience
Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. — James 5:7-8a. Behold, the Biblical model of patience: the farmer, leaning contentedly on his hoe, simply waiting for…
Love is A Struggle
Love isn’t a state of perfect caring. It is an active noun like “struggle.” — Fred Rogers. Fred Rogers’ simple definition immediately shifts love from a passive, effortless feeling to a continuous, deliberate labor. Love manifests in countless forms—maternal bonds, fraternal commitment, the deep loyalty of friendship, and the fire of a first romance. Yet, in…
CellPhones
I remember the day I received my first mobile communications kit—it was my first day at the Department of Justice, and the sheer technological gravity of the moment was palpable. I was officially issued a cell phone and, for maximum redundancy, a beeper. A stern-faced security officer explained, with the intensity usually reserved for nuclear…
A New Ritual
Perhaps it is time to include a new ritual in the ceremony when we formally install the President or another who holds high public office. The Roman custom of the Triumphus provides a secular model. The victorious general, parading through Rome, was elevated to near-divine status—a moment of dangerous, unchecked adulation. The slave placed in…