Author Archives: John Swinburn

Five years ago today. It was both yesterday and a thousand lifetimes ago. I suppose I was fortunate to have known my wife’s death was at hand, but I was not prepared for it when it came. How does one … Continue reading →

Townes Van Zandt once was asked why all his songs were so sad. His response, I think, summarized his life experience: I have a few that aren’t sad, they’re hopeless. About a totally hopeless situation. And the rest aren’t sad; … Continue reading →

History is within arm’s reach. That is to say, it’s much closer than we think. This morning, I was reminded of just how near we are to “the past” when I glanced online at an Associated Press (AP) regular feature … Continue reading →

I woke earlier today than I have been waking in recent months. The extra time of darkness and solitude could have given me an infusion of serenity if I had approached it properly. But I did not. I skimmed the … Continue reading →

  Half an hour past noon today, half of the month of December will have slid past us, with the remaining half trying to decide whether the rest of the trip is worth the effort. If Time were a sentient … Continue reading →

Hope and hopelessness do not belong in the same universe, do they? One is illumination, the other is darkness. One is a pathway to survival, the other a collapsing bridge over a bottomless abyss. Both, though, exist at opposite points … Continue reading →

A quote attributed to Albert Einstein is phrased slightly differently, depending on the presenter of the attribution: The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing. (from GoodReads.com) … Continue reading →

The hypocrisy of so-called Christians whose support of an utterly immoral regime that celebrates its thirst for cruelty and demonstrates its rejection of Christian values seems to confound the pundits. How is it, they wonder, that people who claim to … Continue reading →

The world as we know it today—a fragile, dangerous place that could erupt into an explosive, apocalyptic inferno at any moment—is very different from the world that could have been if humanity had prevailed over hatred. But we will never … Continue reading →

Time rushes to replace moments that should have been preserved. When fond experiences exist only in memories, we cling to lies we’ve been told: that now is better than then; that new is better than old. But familiarity fits like … Continue reading →

Pessimism, when countered by optimistic fantasy, can decay into hopeless avoidance. Realism, on the other hand, has the potential of sending ocean-going passenger vessels to the bottom of the sea. Optimism paints lifelike portraits that are a little too perfect; … Continue reading →

Just short of two weeks from now, the Northern Hemisphere will experience the Winter Solstice. The shortest day, the longest night, the beginning of winter. Drinking mulled wine, making gingerbread, lighting a Yule log, feasting, and several other rituals coincide … Continue reading →

The closest we come to truly experiencing the entire human life cycle requires conscious observation of—or participation in—several crucial moments. The very first involves the moment of conception. A little later, watching the fetus become a visible lump in a … Continue reading →

Today—December 6, 2025—is the 108th anniversary of Finland’s independence. The celebration will include a review of troops and a ceremonial march. Many of the day’s events will be broadcast live on TV1, Radio Suomi, Yle.fi and Yle Areena. The president, … Continue reading →

Among the reasons scientists say water is necessary for life (as we know it) is that water is a solvent. But an article (entitled, Is Water Necessary for Life?) published in the July 2019 issue of Astronomy says this: “There … Continue reading →

Somehow, our society seems to have determined that we must choose between white color careers and blue collar careers. If we choose the former, we are asked to accept that our education should be delivered in college; preferably through a … Continue reading →

Frost on the roof and evergreen trees, visible from the windows of my study, suggests I would be more comfortable staying indoors today—my typical day—than venturing out. But chemotherapy is on the agenda, so I will just have to deal … Continue reading →

I spent most of the last hour poring over an abstruse report on genomic & epigenetic biomarkers measured in a blood sample taken during a visit with my oncologist a few weeks ago. Understanding the significance of the report requires … Continue reading →

I have written a few paragraphs this morning, but their attempted flippancy has fallen flat. I am in no mood to be flip. Only after my PET-scan, scheduled to begin in 90 minutes, might the tensions I feel fall away. … Continue reading →

A few moments ago, I heard a disturbing noise, a loud banging on the wall outside my study. Or, perhaps, in the attic above me. At first, I assumed the sound was the work of a woodpecker attempting to burrow … Continue reading →

Days and nights merge; the only difference between them is the amount of light I see at the windows—or the hours of darkness that hide the sun. Sleep, once the kingdom of the night, increasingly stakes its claim to daylight … Continue reading →

  He’s a walkin’ contraceptive, partly broke and part defective shoutin’ every wrong invective to the cloudy skies back home. ~ A twisted inspirational ~ +++ Anxiety; a sensation akin to fear, but without the accompanying dread—although dread may be … Continue reading →

Gratitude is a duty which ought to be paid, but which none have a right to expect. ~ Jean-Jacques Rousseau ~ Thanksgiving celebrations are not exclusive to the USA. Several countries around the globe celebrate a holiday dedicated to gratitude, … Continue reading →

Several years ago, shortly after moving to the Village, advice from a veteran bird-watcher added to my knowledge about the human physiology of aging. According to the advisor, changes in the retina and optic nerve diminishes the clarity of vision … Continue reading →

History once told stories about tomorrows that have long since been swallowed by belligerent yesterdays.  Moments in time are woven into instances that evolved into epochs and eras. By closely following the filaments that connect tomorrow with the past, I … Continue reading →