Finding Your Soul by David Anderson
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When the Ladder of Success Leans Against the Wrong Wall
“People may spend their whole lives climbing the ladder of success only to find, once they reach the top, that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall.” The wisdom—and wit—of Thomas Merton. We all climb that ladder. There is probably something wrong with you if you don’t. And there are lots of ladders. Young…
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The Shock of Heaven
This is called “The Best Poem in the World,” which isn’t true. But it is the best doggerel in the world. Read it and see if you don’t agree. The Best Poem in the World I was shocked, confused, bewildered as I entered Heaven’s door, Not by the beauty of it all, by the lights or…
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Soul of Gold
In a world of celebrity values it’s nice to find an athlete with community values. Meet Missy Franklin. She’s the 17 year-old swimmer who won gold this week in the 100 meter backstroke. She’s stayed with the same coach she’s had since she was seven years old, Todd Schmitz. And she trains at the same…
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Don’t Fear a Thousand Flowers
“It was a cold, rainy Sunday evening in April: the kind of night that would depress anyone.” So begins an inspiring story by theologian Carol Noren. The bad weather had ruined people’s plans for the weekend, and another week of work would begin the next morning. I was living hundreds of miles from family and…
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Stop Carping. Start Caring.
After the mass killing in Aurora last week, I got on my high horse. I was sure we needed tougher gun laws. When people threw up their hands and said, “Who in the world needs assault rifles!” I agreed. When people expressed outrage that someone could buy 6,000 rounds of ammo online, I said, “Duh!”…
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This I Believe–In 8 Words
My church, the Episcopal Church, just concluded its national convention. Critics of liberal religion were quick to condemn the gathering for accommodating the timeless truth of the gospel to the whims of today’s culture. Ross Douthat of the New York Times had a suggestion for us. “The leaders of the Episcopal Church and similar bodies…
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Clocks and Clouds
“All problems are either clouds or clocks,” said the eminent philosopher Carl Popper. There are two different kinds of systems, he meant. To understand a clock you can take it apart, examine its individual pieces, understand it or fix it. A cloud is different. You can only observe it as a dynamic, shifting, morphing whole. …
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What Kind of People Live Here
Unhappiness is an inside job. But you’d hardly know it. We’re so used to blaming others for our state. “I don’t like my job—I work with a pitiful group of people.” “I hate this town. It’s full of lousy people.” Or “I stopped going to that church. It was full of nothing but hypocrites!” Like…
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Afraid to Die?
Are you afraid to die? I have sat by the bed of many a dying man and woman. Those who are afraid of dying are—at bottom—afraid that perhaps they have not actually lived. It doesn’t matter if they are great church-goers. It doesn’t matter if, by all appearances, they’ve been a good person. It doesn’t…