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Reader, I wasn’t going to write anything more about the election until I read Peggy Noonan’s column in Saturday’s Wall Street Journal. She wrote something so encouraging and comforting that I just had to share it with you. “A Great Democracy Faces a Bad Choice” is Ms. Noonan's commentary on the notable flaws of both major candidates in this year’s presidential race. None of it was encouraging or comforting. But it’s what she says at the end that touched me. This week my own October surprise. A text message, a hospital, a baby due in November decides he wants in on the action now. The family grows, a grandson comes. I hold him for the first time and I hum chords and he looks at me with huge-pupiled infant eyes and the chords come from my chest and throat. They are of a song I haven’t thought of in years, “My cup Runneth Over.”
A friend of decades calls. We started out together, were young together, and he’s just seen on his phone the picture of the baby. There are tears in his voice. “In all the chaos, all the noise, something splendid God has done.” Amen.
It’s what we all know is the real news, always: life happening.
Let’s all make it through. We’ve never given up on each other, ever, let’s not start now. Can’t let the grandkids down.
Until next time, I wish you all the joy that you can wish.* John Certalic *The Merchant of Venice, Act III, scene 2 |
Articles
“At the end of the day, nothing matters MORE than relationships.” — John Certalic
Listeners Weigh-in About Silence
Hi Reader, In last week’s email, I listed several quotes about silence and asked for reader feedback about them. The quote from Mother Theresa drew the most response. "We need to find God; he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence…We need silence to be able to touch souls." Reactions to the Mother Theresa quote Sue from Los Angeles said she...
Silence: An Important Listening Skill
Hi Reader, In response to one of my recent blog posts about listening, one of our podcast listeners wrote to tell me, “John….I’m sure you know that the words ‘listen’ and ' silent’ are spelled with the same letters.” Yes, I did know this, and I’m grateful for the reminder. It’s taken from a quote by Alfred Brendel. Now, if you don’t know who Alfred Brendel is, I’d be happy to tell you all about him over dinner at your house. Wednesdays work best for me, but I’m flexible. This all reminds me...
“Is That What You Want to Do?”
Reader, In last Wednesday’s email I mentioned this quote from Emily P. Freeman, Good listeners can change the world. I know this because they changed mine. I asked you to think of someone who changed your world because they listened to you. I said I would tell you today about a person who changed mine because they listened to me. And what an unlikely person this was: my high school guidance counselor. One day at the beginning of my senior year, Mrs. Roller, someone I had never talked to...
A Surprising Way to Change the World
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An Admirable Quality in a Man
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What If We All Did This?
Reader, Earlier this spring I read Emily P. Freeman’s latest book, How to Walk into a Room - The Art of Knowing When to Stay and When to Walk Away. I found several inspiring and thought-provoking passages in the book. One in particular stands out that I want to share with you. Here’s what the author has to to say about the subject of listening to each other: When listening to others, what if we were the kind of listeners who take off our shoes in reverence when they trust us with their...
A Different Kind of Memorial Day
Hi Reader, If you happen to be an American, I hope your Memorial Day holiday this past Monday was a reflective time for you. It’s important to remember the men and women who died serving our country in battle so we can enjoy the freedom we have. Regardless of your citizenship and where you live around the world, I hope you take time to remember the people in your life who have blessed you in some other way. That’s important, too. I did a podcast episode on this subject a few years ago. You...
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A listener writes, “I will try to do more of this today!”
[FIRST NAME GOES HERE], A listener to our podcast from South Carolina recently reacted to Episode #218, “It’s Better to Listen Than to Talk.” This is the episode about the story in Matthew’s Gospel where God tells Peter to stop talking and, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” Here’s what our listener had to say: I actually listened to episode #218 twice last week because it was so good! The past two days I've been reading in John 15 where Jesus is talking...
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