Author Archives: John Swinburn

“…the best thing one can do when it is raining is let it rain.” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Packing to move, ones realizes there’s a price to be paid for every instance in which one succumbs to the temptation to acquire something.  I begin to suspect an austere lifestyle can offer rewards.

I learned something yesterday; furniture whose style is far from the styles I usually find appealing can be stunning.  That’s probably true of a lot of matters of taste: art, food, music, etc.  There is an important lesson in this … Continue reading →

Sometime, when I go to a greengrocer, I look around and silently give thanks for farmers. Then I realize I am even more thankful for vegetables.

Comfort is a welcome relief from the stresses of daily life. Too much comfort, though, can anesthetize a person, making it impossible to fully comprehend the reality of daily life. I think it’s wise, when experiencing the comfort of the … Continue reading →

Having recently read some advice for people who are just beginning to practice meditation, it occurs to me that meditation is a natural practice in which humans have engaged for millennia.  We focus on something…anything, really…and allow our minds to … Continue reading →

Devoting just a few minutes, early in the morning, to productive work around the household is a rewarding way to start the day.  It takes so little effort, yet pays such handsome dividends.

I think it’s possible the sun will erupt any moment into a massive explosion, consuming all the planets in its orbit and, of course, obliterating all the life found there.  With that having been said, nothing really matters, does it?  Or … Continue reading →

As I walk through my house, I see an assortment of things. For each thing, I easily can imagine my life without it: I can do without that sofa, that chair, that lamp, that book, that photo, that table, that … Continue reading →

It is fruitless to compare one’s life to the life of someone else; they are not comparable.  No one else can live my life, nor can I live anyone else’s life. It’s best to be satisfied with the life I … Continue reading →

Without splinters under the skin, we’d not know how good it feels when they’re gone. I’m glad to have experienced splinters, but happier that those I’ve known have moved on to other things.

Day before yesterday, I watched a large flock of small birds perform amazing group acrobatics in the sky.  The birds seemed to be one large undulating mass of dots, moving first one direction, then turning sharply in another.  As this … Continue reading →

Stress is invisible but it exists nonetheless.  I have evidence of it; early to bed last night and later than normal to arise this morning.  It’s either stress or it’s evidence that I’ve been taxing my bones and muscles beyond … Continue reading →

The first day of March augurs change.  The winter season is ending, of course, but another season is ending, as well.  A seventeen-year season of living in north Dallas in a home too big for two average people, but just … Continue reading →

When trees begin to bud, when traces of green peek through the straw-colored mat of the Winter lawn, when the chill in the air melds into the bright warmth of sunlight, Spring is days or weeks away.  It’s one of the … Continue reading →

Today will be an exceptional day, full of excitement and newness.   Good things will happen today. The power of positive thinking is more than a wish; it is a fact.  That is not to say miracles happen; but, good … Continue reading →

At 4:00 in the morning, what else does one have to do but drink coffee and wonder about zoosemiotics? This morning, that is what I am doing. The consideration of zoosemiotics began when I saw a photo of a dog … Continue reading →

I have a thin, slow-growing beard that will never give me impressive facial hair.  But I consider that a blessing.  Outside the traditional workforce, I can get away with shaving every two or even three days.  I like that.  But … Continue reading →