Thursdays with Ira have become an important tradition. I think I could write a book about the conversations that we have had over the past several months and it would be well worth the read. Ira is 81 years old. He has been a widower for less than a year. His insights on life take me days to process after we depart from our Thursday morning breakfast meetings. Today’s topic of discussion was rather unique. Ira decided on a whim…
I have edited key details and names in this story to protect the privacy of everyone involved. What place does a 15 year old girl have in a Dallas bar that attracts more than its share of unsavory characters? But that is where 15 year old Morgan found herself on most weeknights. In fact, she had to find a place to lay her head, and get some rest. Her mother’s shift as a bartender did not end until 2:00 a.m….
Driving Miss Daisy won the Academy Award for best picture in 1990. The story line revolves around the relationship of an elderly Jewish woman from Atlanta, GA and her African American chauffer, Hoke. Jessica Tandy won the Academy Award for best actress in a leading role that year. Morgan Freeman was nominated for best actor for his portrayal of Hoke. In one particular scene, Miss Daisy is going to a formal banquet to hear after dinner speaker, Dr. Martin Luther…
He opened the cash register and handed me a dollar bill…What’s this for, I asked? Well it is obvious you can’t afford a razor, so here is a dollar to go buy one. I got the message…I was expected to show up for work clean shaven. I was an 18-year-old freshman at Texas Tech University in the fall of 1980. The man offering me the necessary funds to buy a razor was Bill Groux. Bill owned and operated one of…
Yesterday as I lectured at a theological institute in Torreon, MexicoI noticed a lady sitting on the front row eagerly following everything I was saying in English. (My translator was taking everything I said and sharing it in Spanish as I delivered the lecture.) Naturally it was reassuring to see that at least one person could understand my message in English. A little later in the day I learned more about her story. Johanna (not her real name) was arrested…
I will give you a piece of my mind… in a New York minute. Communicating interpersonally in a manner that lacks tact is one of my longtime failings. I am blunt to a fault. My sweet little bride tells me that I get my fists up verbally. I have attempted to take some corrective measures over the years, but I have found another flaw in the process. In the process of evading communication that is a little too direct, I…
I graduated one quarter early from high school. That meant in February of 1980 I was a free man. That sounds like I was brighter than the average student that waited until the final class was completed at the end of the school year. That was not the case at all. If the truth be known, I made that choice because I had been kicked off the debate team due to disciplinary reasons. Needless to say as the school year…
American materialism will be at its finest later this week on what is has been rightfully dubbed “Black Friday.” People will get up at 4:00 in the morning on an otherwise peaceful post Thanksgiving weekend day to take advantage of the latest and greatest deals on some electronic gadgetry. My boys will sleep in that morning, because they overcame the materialistic demons known as the “I Wants” years ago. A little history might be in order… When the boys were…
Age 26 seems to be an unlikely time in life to be adopted. And age 50 is an even more improbable life stage to experience adoption. But it happens. I have observed such an adoptive experience twice this year. The first one occurred in July. A dear friend boldly fought cancer for several years, but the final 9 or 10 months of his life were especially difficult. His administrative assistant stepped in and did his job for all practical purposes…
Fall is in the air. Yesterday I saw fallen yellow leaves gathered in the bed of truck for the first time this year. As I watched my youngest son leave for school with one of his friends early this morning, my mind traveled back to the fall of 1978. I was his age in September of that year. And I picked up a neighborhood friend for school on most weekdays. She put her makeup on in the car as we…