Tree planters
For several years, I was part of a theater group that often performed the inspiring allegorical tale “The Man Who Planted Trees.” It’s the story of Elzéard Bouffier, an o... »
Curtis Peter van Gorder
Miracles from the maestro
It is said that there are three artists that give us music: God, who gives us magical wood to make the instruments; the instrument maker, who after months of labor awaken... »
The tempest tree
If you’ve ever felt like your whole life has been uprooted and you have no idea how you’ll make it to the next day, take heart from the Turner’s Oak—a 16-meter-tall giant... »
Joy to the world
Christmas is a time of joy and celebration. Many countries have unique customs and traditions that help make this a happy season. In Mexico, starting nine days before Chr... »
Welcome to Parkville
At a workshop I attended, art and drama therapist Emily Nash[[Emily Nash is the founder and director of Therapeutic Arts Alliance Manhattan, a forum offering workshops an... »
Not alone!
I was tired and had nodded off while on the tram. When I arrived at my destination, I was startled awake and barely made it off in time. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until af... »
The golden staircase
Making decisions is rarely easy to do, and one of the most important times to get it right is when you are deciding on a new job offer. Some years ago, my wife and I were... »
The wonders of our immune system
Sometimes we get sick, but most of the time we can stay healthy in spite of constantly being under attack from a myriad of harmful viruses and bacteria. For that daily mi... »
Three lives
I love biographies. Historical movies, books, and even web posts are a great way to get a bird’s-eye view of a life. Through their commendable or detestable examples, we... »
Easter traditions
Easter is one of the most important Christian festivals of the year, celebrating Jesus’ resurrection three days after His crucifixion. Some Easter traditions in various c... »
Bouncing on the bow of a bangka boat
On a trip to attend my son's wedding in the Philippines, I had the joy of riding on a bangka boat, a Filipino vessel that looks like a catamaran and has a pontoon on both... »
Joyeux Noël
Without an enemy there can be no war. I recently rewatched the movie Joyeux Noël (Christian Carion, 2005), which tells the story of a well-documented event that occurred... »
Ephemeral beauty
A friend of mine mentioned how he often feels melancholy after experiencing something beautiful. I wasn’t sure what he was talking about. It wasn’t until I started to rec... »