Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by…

This weekend we are in the small medieval town of Ravensberg, in the western part of Germany, to experience their famous Christmas Market, and to sample the holidays European-style. And I've learned that the actual Christmas Tree tradition began very near here, on the western banks of the Rhine. It began in the 16th century…

  Americans often complain that the Thanksgiving holiday gets squeezed out by the Christmas rush. But here in Switzerland, there isn't any rush, because there isn't any Thanksgiving. And it feels like there's a bit of an empty hole. It's mid-November and we are already in the middle of Christmas right now, and it will continue until…

In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. -  Elizabeth Barrett Browning, "Sonnets From The Portuguese"…

There ain't no way you can hold onto something that wants to go, you understand? You can only love what you got while you got it. ― Kate DiCamillo,  Because of Winn-Dixie I woke up last night from a horrible dream. In it, my son was a toddler, running barefoot in the grass, his bright…

If you'd sail beyond the cape Sail you must past cares, past grief. God gave perils to the sea and sheer depth, But mirrored heaven there.  Fernando Pessoa We are now in the coastal town of Tróia, Portugal, after spending two days in the delightful city of Porto. This is a beautiful oceanic country, with…