My daily almanac tells me this: On this date in 1883, standard time zones were established in the United States and Canada. The railroad was the driving force behind the establishment of consistent time zones, and it was called Standard Railway Time (SRT). Prior to the use of SRT, all towns set their own time, […]
Strange Community
Two hours ago I witnessed an accident. I am at Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, New York—here for three days of retreat. I have driven up this morning, but I have checked in early and no lunch is served, so the friendly woman at the welcome desk directs me to a sandwich joint down […]
The Wise Cabbie
The other night in New York I hailed a cab at about ten o’clock. I got in, said, “Grand Central, please,” and the cabbie asked me how my night was. I said I was coming home from a party to celebrate the launch of my wife’s latest book, and it had been a great evening. […]
Flexing Your Letting-Go Muscle
Sunday’s New York Times featured an article entitled, “Mother’s New Little Helper.” The subtitle, “What gets many women through stressful days? A little pill they take at night.” Cheryl Downs McCoy is a working mother who has a lot to manage: “I need to call that guy about fixing the car. I think I’ve run […]
Praying at 2:30 in the Morning
When you ask people, “Where have you experienced the presence of God in some powerful way?” they almost never mention the church. Even though I lead a church, that answer never bothers me. It’s true for me too. My most transporting experiences are always either in nature or in a close personal encounter with another human […]
What Will You Be for Halloween?
The most transforming costume I ever wore was not on Halloween. I auditioned and was chosen to play the “Father” in a neighborhood production of “Hansel and Gretel.” After dying my blonde hair brown, they painted enormous mutton-chops on my cheeks and gave me a thick brown mustache. I looked in the mirror and saw […]