As I tossed and turned in my sleep last night, my mind drifted through a long gallery of the friends I’ve known throughout my life. There were boyhood friends from the streets of Memphis; high school companions in Little Rock; the brothers-in-arms from college and law school in Fayetteville; and the colleagues who became kin…
Just Waiting and Watching
Just waiting to see what we’ve been left here for. — Quote from “Train Dreams,” by Denis Johnson. The literature of Denis Johnson often dwells in the quiet, rugged spaces of the American West, but in Train Dreams, he captures something bigger. There is a specific kind of gravity in the line: “I sometimes think…
The Dust That Lingers
That smudge on your forehead—the dark, gritty residue of burnt palm branches—takes some scrubbing to remove. You might find yourself at the sink, rubbing your skin, only to find a faint shadow still lingers. A little soap and water just won’t do it. In many ways, our lives feel like that shadow on our forehead…
The Sacred Invitation
As we cross the threshold into this Lenten season, we are not called immediately to frenetic activity, but to a purposeful stillness. These initial days are for the interior life—a time for listening to the murmurs of our heart. In this quiet, I invite you to identify an injustice that genuinely pierces your spirit. Do…
Ash Wednesday — A Dusty Beginning
Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. I’ll be honest: the Ash Wednesday service—specifically the imposition of ashes—makes me a little queasy. Every year, I seem to find a convenient excuse to miss the service and start Lent in some other, less “dusty” way. Sorry about that, God. I do believe…