Rememberance Day
I wrote this poem when I was on a high school trip to France, during which we visited several Canadian war memorials and cemeteries. It's not especially good, given I was a teenager at the time, but I think it's suitable for today.Dear Flames of strengthAnd Tears of courageThrough crimson petalsOur world bleeds.Our once-pure GardenShell-shocked and scarred."We are such stuff as dreams are made on"But what of nightmares?And why are dreams?No end can justify this meansYou payed the toll,We walk the bridgeAnd now for what?Our world still scarred,We never learn.We beg you to forgive and p

"Let everyone spe...
"Let everyone speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another." -Ephesians 4:25"Pain need not destroy; it can be transformed." -Paul Brand, The Gift of PainI recently had an interesting conversation with a colleague of mine about the nature of pain and its effects on the human condition. In my abundant sarcasm, I rolled my eyes and quipped; "Pain receptors are such jerks." My colleague, also a former instructor of mine, responded: "Hey, you're the one screwing up. They're just the messengers. You don't like what they have to say, try ignoring them and see how far you get."This had a very specific resonance for me, because