Outside The Box

The number of Americans who have died in battle since the Revolutionary War is 657,946. When we look at that number printed on the page in black in white, it does not cry out. It does not tell the stories of the men and women who died. It does not speak of the bravery and the … More A Sailor’s Story

Faced with a choice between being ignorant or being depressed, the bliss of ignorance begins to look more attractive. Being informed is hard work, and since fact can also lead to cognitive dissonance, it doesn’t always make us feel good. Being entertained is much easier. Nevertheless, some of us still prefer knowledge. Peddlers of media … More Shocking

How do we measure success? Popular culture has an answer, and we are all too familiar with that. But there is a better answer, and no finer example can be found than the life lived by our friend, Joe Anderson, of Upper Hightower. Joe passed away last Friday at the young age of 84. Mothers cherish those … More A Successful Life

When my father was a child, there was a remote spring in the mountains alongside a forest road traveled by horse and wagon or on foot. Travelers would sometimes water their horses at the spring, or take a drink and rest awhile in the shade of the tall chestnut trees. The spring was tiled with … More Click “Like” for The Earth

We’ve taken a much needed break from writing about political things here. It’s better for our mental and digestive health that we do so. But today we couldn’t resist a brief return to the bread and circuses. We’ve been feeling a little better about politics lately. No, politics has not changed, but we have redefined … More Idealism is a Hothouse Flower

It was Sunday afternoon and we were waiting to turn right onto a divided highway. Vehicles kept coming in the right lane just frequently enough to extend our stay at the intersection. “It doesn’t look like anyone is going to give us a break,” my wife said, “but we’re not in a hurry.” “It’s a … More The Oxen are Slow, but the Earth is Patient

Some of us are sentimental and some of us are not. Sometimes there are very good reasons for putting the past behind us. Sometimes treasuring the past can enrich our lives and contribute to a sense of place and purpose Nostalgia can encourage an attachment to keepsakes and memorabilia. I’m not talking about people who simply like to … More Sentimental

We usually avoid discussing religion here (in our newspaper column). I consider religion a personal matter, and there are many who are much more qualified to address it. When it comes to Faith, however, we will speak. Faith is a golden thread that runs through all religious and spiritual beliefs. It is the substance of … More Religious Fervor Without the Religion

Same as the old blog, but updated for WordPress. It’s a work in progress, updated weekly (usually) with 10 years of archives to follow. For new readers, here we will be hosting discussions about our shared search for meaning in the Age of Information. We are inundated, perhaps even swamped, by information that is increasingly … More Welcome to the New Blog