The pandemic, as well as the current state of politics, have caused many people to reflect on the concept of morality. However, regardless of the morals you were raised with or those you’ve acquired in adulthood, thinking about moral responsibilities is always important, and maybe more so during these times.

Our morals are largely influenced by our character and worldview, as well as our unique life experiences. Some individuals are born with an innate sense of morality and fairness and a desire to help others. These people seem to be more sensitive to the distress of others.

Moral behavior has…

I am an only child of an only child. My mother and I live on opposite coasts. This morning at 4 a.m. I received a phone call from the nurse at the assisted-living facility saying that my mom had tested positive for COVID-19, and she’d have to be admitted to the hospital. Prior to her admission, my 90-year-old widowed mother had been living at this facility for three years. For nine months, the staff diligently tried to keep everyone safe, but a few days before they were to receive the vaccine, 16 residents tested positive. …

January is National Journal Writing Month-a great time to start something new. Plus, we’re all about to turn the page into a new year. Many of us are enthusiastic about welcoming in 2021, hoping that it will bring new miracles and opportunities.

We are still in the midst of the pandemic, but the hope is that life will return to some semblance of normal. However, it may be more likely that we’ll all need to get used to “a new normal.” Whether this involves continued stay-at-home orders, new remote job prospects, or simply more of the same, it’s vital that…

A ritual is a sequence of gestures or habits performed at a certain place and time. Rituals may be prescribed as part of a culture, community, or family unit. They are acts I believe in because not only do they ground us in the moment, but they interconnect us as human beings.

My morning ritual consists of waking up, washing my face, brushing my teeth, having a cup of strong espresso coffee, and taking my 14-year-old Maltese poodle out for his morning stroll in our backyard. Beside the back door is a flashlight that I use to keep me mindful…

On July 20, 1969, American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first human beings to ever land on the moon. After his first step on the moon, Armstrong uttered his infamous words, “That’s one step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Those who were alive at that time, remember exactly where they were when witnessing this huge milestone in American history. I had just turned fifteen, and like many of the hippies of that time, I had a rebellious streak. …

Telepathic Messages

For months we’ve exchanged

telepathic messages braided

in the sweet memories

of a youth which we kissed

good-bye in our dreams.

I hear your voice and see

your dimples through the

curtains of time and the ethers

across the waves, yet cannot

shake their power, so I

succumb and let them overtake me.

For months we’ve exchanged

telepathic messages braided

in the sweet memories

of a youth which we kissed

good-bye in our dreams.

I hear your voice and see

your shadow through the

curtains of time and the ethers

across the waves, yet cannot

shake their power, so I

succumb and let them overtake me.

I arrive at your doorstep

tears flooding my deep green eyes —

loaded with dirt from past lives

nestled in unwanted triggers

from yesterday

as I slide through ambers

wondering of my threshold.

I fall into your strong arms

supported like a branch

of a strong tree trunk

as I thank you for catching me

before I crawl into a hole beneath

the one where you’ll shelter me

from this deep pain nesting in my psyche.

You don’t do much

except hold me which is all I want,

then you wait a few moments

while staring into my eyes

and cast a wink that fixes it all.