On The Road With Denny D

The lake. A cedarstrip canoe floats on the tea stained waterway known as Wissiwassing. Two brothers paddle effortlessly toward the island across the way. The morning sun is hovering just above the horizon, illuminating a path on a mirror-smooth lake. The only conversation is that of paddles entering and leaving the surface. We are both lost in thought or maybe a silent prayer.  I think of that lake often and when I think of him. We were young, alive and had all the time in the world. We didn't know how little time we had. Who would be first or who would be last was always decided on the races we run, not life and death.  I go back to the lake, to a huge rock on the shore. The place where I received lectures every time I saw my brother. I was older than he, I should have been giving them instead of receiving them. Old doesn't mean wise. He asked me the same question “What are you going to do with your life?” I never could give him an answer because I didn't know. He must h...

A note to friend in christ. I believe the house of God has many windows and many doors. Sometimes we walk in, sometimes we walk out. Sometimes we just walk away. But the windows are always open just enough to let a little light in. Sometimes we need to tip-toe and look inside once again. I looked in and there you were. I was surfing the net, to be truthful doom scrolling. Luckily, for me I saw Father James Martin SJ,  on Stephen Colbert. A spark ignited in me to share the following story. My partner is a practicing Catholic and he goes to church every Saturday night. I am more of an east meets west kind of guy. Imagine Jesus and Buddha at a bar.  I'm the bartender and I don't know who to serve first.  I have only been out since my sixtieth birthday. It was during the time of the pandemic. I was divorced and laid off. I could have easily spiraled out of control. The good news; I lost a job I hated, and I had time to write, think, walk and pray. I eventually sta...

"Let us be silent, that we may hear the whispers of God" Ralph Waldo Emerson Sometimes wake up and immediately write about another strange dream I had. I have a spiral notebook tucked into a magazine rack next to the couch for just such an occasion.  I often wake up in the early hours of the morning. Instead of trying to fall back to sleep, I sit lotus style with a comforter wrapped around me. I breath in and out and invite the spirit to move me. I only invite those who God has appointed to me to be present. Good spirits are welcome.  I wait for words. It usually doesn't take long. Often the content comes from another place. I call this the Emerson effect.  I just listen and to write when the spirit speaks to me. In that moment, I am not the author, just the holder of the pen.  There is slso the funny side of life. And this can pop out nowhere. There is plenty of room on the page for that as well.  The kettle is whistling. I will be back.  Today the toc (te...