The Chinese have a wonderful story about a stone cutter who worked everyday, cutting stones from a mountain. Each day he would rise early and go to the mountain and begin his work cutting stones. Each evening, as the sun went down, he would drag himself to his poor and humble home, eat his meager meal, and go to sleep, exhausted, until the next morning, when he would rise again to go up on the mountain to cut stones. So sad was he, at his miserable plight, that he cried out loud, “If only I were rich and powerful! I would not be so miserable.” Well, the spirit of the mountain heard his cry,...

I used to live in the mountains. I didn’t live there for very long, but I did live there for awhile. Back around 1961 or 1962, when I was just a wee lad, my parents bought a mountain cabin up in the little mountain town of Wrightwood, California. They had planned to retire there. I actually have memories of going up there with them when they were looking for property. They ended up buying a tine two-bedroom cabin just across the street from where the town began. The town was only two streets. On the first street was a small mom and pop grocery store. The entire store, butcher shop included,...

There is a point in our lives when we are happy. We feel warm and loved, perfectly comfortable and content. We feel accepted and nurtured. Nobody is stepping on our dreams. Nobody criticizes us. Nobody makes us do anything we don’t want to do. We never feel sorrow or sadness or regret. Everything is wonderful all the time. And then we’re born and it all goes to hell. One of the explanations for the Adam and Eve myth involves the atavistic desire to return to womb. There is a strong similarity to the stories. In Eden, we had everything we wanted. We were loved and accepted. There was no sorrow,...

So today is is Wednesday. That’s ASH Wednesday to all good Catholics in the know. Today, everywhere good little Roman Catholics will attend mass and at the proper moment, have a smudge of ash placed on their forehead while the priest mutters, “Remember you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.” How’s that for a wake-up call? And on Thursday I will know who doesn’t wash their face everyday by the little splotches of charcoal still adorning the faces smiling before me. I should point out that Catholics are not required to go to mass on Ash Wednesday. It is only suggested....

When I was in college, around my second year, I didn’t really know what I wanted to pursue. I was a re-entry student. That means that I was in college right after high school, like most folks, and then I quit for a few years. I was offered a good job, or so I thought, at my tender age, as assistant manager for a dime store, at a salary that rivaled my father’s. I was engaged to be married, so I thought it would be a good idea to choose making money instead of earning a degree. Besides, I was bored with school. So worked hard and built a life with my wife and kids. I worked hard and became a...