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“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” was a common comeback when I was in grade school, but the truth is that words really can do great harm. Children generally aimed this singsong ditty at bullies, and while it is good to rise above petty insults and vindictive criticism, it’s also important to watch our own words. Actually, those...
People living in developed nations around the world have much for which to be thankful. Food, clothing, and shelter is available at a standard far above that of the majority of the earth’s population. But, these things are by no means to be taken for granted. How many people are truly thankful to have such blessings, and to whom?
The “Day of the Dead” is looming, with all the macabre symbolism of the season. I usually enjoy my daily walk through my residential neighborhood, but in the past few days the scene has changed as giant spiderwebs and partially buried skeletons appear on manicured lawns. Leering skulls with lighted eye sockets peer from simulated graveyards, and a variety of...
The word “hallowed” means made holy or consecrated. There is nothing hallowed in the celebration of Halloween.
Like some other holidays that originated in paganism but are celebrated by “Christian” churches today—albeit with new names—Halloween also marched right out of pagan religious practices and into mainstream religion. New labels were applied to centuries-...
Most of us have answered questions on various forms requiring our name and address and other personal information. Some multi-page legal documents require our signature “here,” “here,” and “here”! Our name is part of our identity.
One of the great tragedies of our age is the increase of Alzheimer’s disease, a malevolent condition that robs people, usually the elderly, of their memories and personality, as they slide away into mental darkness. Many have experienced this, and many families have faced the horrific consequences of memory loss and disability that come upon their loved ones.
For centuries, historians have studied why empires, nations, or societies collapsed. Various reasons are proposed, just as there are reasons for the collapse of a building or other structure. But, the destruction of the foundation is the central reason.
One rainy, windy day when I was a child, we drove past a drive-in theater just as a strong gust of wind...
Summer, one of my favorite seasons, is over in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s hot and humid here in the American South, but everything about the summertime—family trips, Fourth of July celebrations, and even the weather—is a wellspring of memories for me.
One of my greatest joys was one many kids in the North American school system shared. That was the “release”...
In 1951, a psychologist by the name of Solomon Asch conducted a rather unnerving experiment. He had a group of eight people look at four drawn lines—three “comparison” lines and one “target” line. Each member of the group had to say, out loud, which of the comparison lines they thought matched the target one in length, and this was repeated with eighteen sets of...
Has someone ever “opened your eyes” to some surprising information you were completely unaware of, or something someone had deceived you about? Or, perhaps, they challenged some long-held belief you had that proved to be incorrect. Maybe you have tried to wake up someone else to the truth about a matter.