“ We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way .” ― Viktor E. Frankl   It is Gratitude Month, officially in the United States. National Gratitu

Yes it is Halloween. The holiday has roots in the Catholic Church, which designated November 1st as All Saints' Day. All Hallows' Eve, the evening before, was a time for religious preparation, including prayer and vigil. Name: "Hallow" is an Old English word for "holy" or "sanctified." Over time, the Christian observance blended with other traditions, such as the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. A historical note here, that kind of blending between religious beliefs occurs

The beaches of Camusfeàrna are a treasure house for any man whose eye finds wealth at the sea’s edge. There are more shells than I have seen on any other littoral; a great host of painted bivalves of bewildering variety and hue, from coral pinks and primrose yellows to blues and purples and mother-of-pearl, from jewel-like fan shells no bigger than a little fingernail to the great scallops as big as a side-plate. – Gavin Maxwell   For some reason, in recent weeks, I started t

Some readers will know from the title what the significance and context is. It is actually one of the most significant numbers in my life. It is how long in years I have been on the path of recovery from addiction. When I started the journey, that first 39 hours seemed beyond the realm of possibility. 39 days would be beyond conceivable before that landmark day when I stopped using and started living. I would have bet the house in that before era pictured above on failing to