Author Archives: John Swinburn

Distant thunder. The sound is far enough from me, and faint enough, that it may be my imagination rattling around in my head. But I think it’s thunder. Thunder, a thousand miles away, clutching at the clouds that bind it … Continue reading →

Sadness—deep, intractable, incurable heartache or grief or overwhelming sorrow—provides an endless supply of content for writers. That reality gives rise to the question as to whether sadness propels people to become writers or whether writing is symptomatic of a profound, … Continue reading →

The computer claims the outside temperature is 66°F right now; that would be delightful, except that the humidity is 92%. A few moments ago, I went outside to experience 66°F at 92% humidity. I expected the experience to be somewhat … Continue reading →

Today is Saturday and the day holds great promise. Just how or why, I do not know; I just sense this day in early September is likely to be a good, productive, satisfying day. I ask all my readers, both … Continue reading →

This morning, I stumbled across a YouTube video in which a couple shows off their full-time “van-life” van and talks about what they did to convert the 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Though I dragged myself away from the 25-minute video after … Continue reading →

I allowed my laziness to overwhelm my desire to write this morning, hence no early-day blog post. This post, begun shortly before 10:00 a.m., will serve as a stand-in for what would have been a much earlier post. The fact … Continue reading →

Years ago, I applied for a job based in Zanesville, Ohio. The job sounded both interesting and extremely challenging—had I been offered the job, I would have had to decide whether I could successfully manage a large trade show despite … Continue reading →

Love is an immortal force, though there is nothing magical or supernatural about love. Love is not the emotional expression of  god-like experience. Yet love sometimes seems supernatural. It survives even the most monstrous attacks and the most heartless abandonment. … Continue reading →

Yesterday, during my explanation of my “faith journey,” I butchered my attempt to speak aloud an inscription I found in a grotto connected to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Windthorst, Texas. Despite botching the pronunciation, the words seemed right to … Continue reading →

We had dinner with friends last night. They made New Orleans style barbecue shrimp (with fresh Gulf shrimp), bread, and dessert. We provided a salad. Oh, and they even provided a stand-in shirt for me, knowing (as they did) of … Continue reading →

The world around us is in a constant state of change. Even solid granite decays over time. Bars of solid stainless steel decompose, bit by bit, until their transformation is complete. But we do not have the ability to witness … Continue reading →

I wish I knew the source of this early morning ennui. If I knew the source, I could address it. But I have no idea. I thought I was perfectly happy when I went to bed. Yet I woke in … Continue reading →

Is it hopeful, I wonder, or simply unchecked fantasy? Can one hit “re-set” and revise the direction his life has taken? Is it possible to unmake the mistakes one has made? Or, at least, correct them, thereby recovering lost opportunities? … Continue reading →

How long does it take between the time one recognizes one’s faults and the moment one’s behavior changes to correct them? The following excerpt from something I posted to an old blog of mine in January 2008 (when 46-inch televisions … Continue reading →

The man who writes posts for this blog is temporarily on strike. We have been reassured that the blog’s web host is in talks with strikebreakers at this very moment. While that occurs, though, the “muscles” for both sides are … Continue reading →

Some of my fantasies are so crisp and clear I almost can feel myself brushing against the skin of a person’s hand as I pass her on my walk along the water. I can feel and smell ocean breezes. I … Continue reading →

A drive of just over two hours can shake the cobwebs off of impracticality. What once was only a slightly blurry look into a prospective future becomes more sharply focuses as the hours and the miles drift by. Yesterday’s drive … Continue reading →

Today, we’ll drive a little less than two and a half hours, to Texarkana, to look at the remnants of…what, my lost dream? To others, it probably is just two-and-a-half acres, a manufactured house, and some out-buildings. But to me … Continue reading →

We are engaged in a great undeclared war, an epic struggle between tolerance and loathing. Between acceptance and repudiation. Between affirmation and wretched denial. None of us will acknowledge the fight has begun. To the victor will go not only … Continue reading →

During the past several months, I have made an on-again, off-again habit of reading a blog that posts, daily, thought-provoking quotations. These quotations—virtually all taken from the theological/mystical writings of people with whom I am either not familiar or only … Continue reading →

The rumble of distant thunder grows louder as the storms approach. What once were indistinct growls become precise and explicit, signs that rain is a near-certainty. Still too dark for me to see whether the blur outside my window is … Continue reading →

The American Psychological Association defines anxiety as follows: “… an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.” The association clarifies the definition with the addition of these comments: “People with anxiety disorders … Continue reading →

…kisses are a better fate than wisdom… ~ E.E. Cummings ~ +++ Bacalhau is the Portuguese word for cod—as in the fish that is not native to Portuguese waters but is, nonetheless, the most popular fish in Portugal. According to … Continue reading →

In a few weeks, I will discuss my faith journey with the congregation of my church. My presentation will constitute one of what we call our Insight Services, in which a speaker shares his or her perspectives on a specific … Continue reading →

The sight of a doe and her fawn was Nature’s attempt to lift my spirits this morning. Thanks, Nature, but I’m not receptive to mood-lighteners this morning. I awoke with a snarl on my lips and it remains there, as … Continue reading →