visitations
Our Haunted House
Anyone who grew up in a haunted house knows the things that can happen to a family in such a place.
I can remember the time when my brother John had a paper route, for which he had to get up early in the morning to deliver the newspaper. How my brother talked me into helping him on this particular Saturday I can no longer remember. But what happened that day will remain engraved in my memory.
It was a spring day and my brother went onto our front porch to get the papers. The milkman was also making his way up the steps, to bring my family’s daily delivery of fresh dairy. I figured, since I was up anyway, why not hit Mr. Milkman up for some chocolate milk… and put it on my mom and dad’s tab. Continue reading
The Mystery Of Mom’s Silverware
It’s been almost 19 years since my mother passed away and today I can still remember as if it was yesterday. I have wonderful memories of her, from her making her little cherry pies to Sunday dinners.
When I lived at my parents house there was a silverware set that I wanted, and nothing else. That was it. As a child I would rearrange this silverware set when she was not looking. I would place the forks where the knives were supposed to go, and I swapped the bigger spoons with the smaller ones.
The cutlery set was mounted on the wall and every time I did this she would get upset with me, because she had to put them back in order again. I continued this silly game into my adulthood, as childish as it may seem. After she passed away I didn’t know what happened to the silverware set and I ask my dad about it. He said, “Your sister had it and she was going to put it in the yard sale.” I was naturally very upset. I wanted something that I can look at when I was at my parents home and picture my mother pretending to get upset with me when I would rearrange her precious set. Continue reading
Care Of The Soul
One radical difference between care of the soul and a great deal of modern psychological work is that the former offers a profound appreciation for the personalities who are important in our lives, even if they are flawed people and even if the relationship is not perfect. Psychology prefers to analyze with the goal of increased understanding, yet understanding does little for the soul.
Imagine telling stories of those that have crossed over, not for insight into ourselves, but simply to establish a deep, continuing relationship with them. The soul is given eternity in that exchange, while understanding offers it little more than another fragment of logic. It has nothing to do with establishing a home for the infinite within our finite lives. Continue reading