Cher was once asked: “Don’t you think you’re too old to sing rock n’ roll?” She answered: “You’d better check with Mick Jagger”. Aging diminishes us. It is humiliating and scary. Worst of all, it is misunderstood. While we are being betrayed by our bodies, senses, and minds, those to whom we look for support often minimize our concerns. The result? …

Thanks to the pandemic we’re already living in “virtual reality”. Not the “virtual reality” as in VR, but as in a Zoom meeting, Skype phone call or iPhone’s FaceTime. How far are we from “virtual immortality”? We, the well-educated people who consider ourselves intelligent are usually specialists in one or two areas of expertise and strive to keep up with major developments and news to remain current and well-rounded.

Cut your losses. Count your blessings. Tend to your wounds. Remember: you maybe fragile, vulnerable, breakable. The Phoenix within is indestructible. It always rises, even from the ashes. Even if your heart’s been crushed. Even if you feel like your back was broken. Even if your wings were chopped off. Even if you hit the rock bottom. Even if you’re filled with self-doubt. Even if life doesn’t seem to make sense. You have the indomitable Phoenix within.

Risky compassion during Covid-19 pandemic I have a friend who is an essential worker. He works nights delivering bread to grocery stores, supermarkets, restaurants, etc. It’s a demanding and dangerous job. Every then and again, he shares with me some of his experiences. In the course of his work, the friend of mine was robbed…

Instead of “Making America Great, Again”, we should make it BETTER than it ever was. — For the record: I didn’t know George Floyd. I’m not black. I’m not a man. But I am a HUMAN BEING and as such I believe that everyone, under any circumstances, is entitled to breathe. …

I wouldn’t be an author if I didn’t search for meaning in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. And meaning is what I found. Covid-19 taught me that: In times of crisis, American people are amazing. Our concern for one another; willingness to sacrifice to serve others; inventiveness, selflessness even exceeds my expectations every day. The performance of…

Love doesn’t discriminate based on age. Before I share the story, it’s only fair to mention that I came of age in a different world and time. This is a true story. At 13, I just reached the teenager status. I was still at the “ugly duckling” stage of development, but was already plagued by some…

As a Humanist pastor, I occasionally speak against hypocrisy of the Christian Church. This time, I have to make an exception. This year the Claremont United Methodist Church (http://claremontumc.org) in Claremont, CA — like all other Churches in the world — prepared for Christmas by recreating the nativity scene. It may seem unremarkable and it would be, except that this nativity scene is different than all others.

The bad news is: yes, we all are. What’s the good news? There is a way to balance servitude and… freedom. The one absolute power we are all indentured servants to is time. Rich or poor, young or old, great-looking or not, we all have limited time and a definite expiration date. But let’s start at the beginning. When you were a little kid, you would wake up in the morning…