Relationship

In the U.S., Here Comes the Sun. But, recently it was dim. Though, there was some relief.

Pilgrim on a Long, Long Journey

“Solitudedoes not necessarily mean living apart from others; rather, it means never living apart from one’s self. It is not about the absence of other people-it is about being fully present to ourselves, whether or not we are with others.Communitydoes not necessarily mean living face-to-face with others; rather, it means never losing the awareness that we are connected to each other. It is not about the presence of other people-it is about being fully open to the reality of relationship, whether or not we are alone.” Parker Palmer

Thank God for the truth in what Palmer proposes. We need that wholeness particularly under the rigors of COVID-19. The connectedness brought us the pandemic but it also brings us great joy. Just as the World Wide Web (www.) can enhance our lives or damage them.

Blogs, podcasts, Instagram Live and Zooming sure can be helpful, particularly when…

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He or She Who Chokes Least, Wins

In nearly every sport, complete relaxation and being in the zone are the keys to victory. It is one of the reasons that so many Juniors in baseball are so effective, and frequently so young. To Fernando Tatis, Jr, whose father played Major League ball, these big parks with thousands of people are old home week. That was also true of Barry Bonds, Jr. Ken Griffey, Jr., etc, etc.

After all, when facing a great pitcher, which is what happens in key games, it’s the pitcher’s mistakes that matter. It’s those moments where the release point is not right or the fingers don’t quite have the touch. They are moments out of the zone and with a slight tightening in all the wrong places for the pitcher. The batter must react ideally to do damage with the pitcher’s mistake. Relaxation is the key that fits to squarely hit that inadequately twisting, insufficiently speeding ball.

How does a great manager teach this kind of courage to a team? From my perspective, it is through encouragement, caring and listening, all by the grace of God.

Radio Days

The 40s for me…

Pilgrim on a Long, Long Journey

I lived for 4.5 years in the latter half of the 1940s. I have rare memories from that period, most of which I spent in Detroit. It was a thriving post war community given the boom in the auto industry.

When I saw Woody Allen’s Radio Days, it was set in the 40s. To the extent it is autobiographical, one gets the flavor of Woody’s life at about ten in the mid-40s.

The movie struck a bell for me visually. The dark, unusually furnished interior of “Woody’s” childhood home took me back to my parents’ and grandparents’ interiors for the first time in many years. They were memories buried deep in my vault.

I cannot recall ever listening to radio shows in that stretch of my childhood. It’s just the early black and white, small television screens of the 50s that come to mind.

That television apparently was introduced…

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