If something is an obligation, is doing it really faith or rather fear of punishment? Those of us raised in small-c catholic traditions may recall the idea of holy days of obligation. These were days wherein church attendance was considered mandatory, and failure to attend was considered sin unless you had an officially sanctioned reason…
What is “Normal”?
It seems to me we tend to confuse "normal" with "what we are used to," and I don't believe that always serves us well. If you are like me, during the summer months you get pretty used to not having to worry about wearing a jacket or boots, but when autumn comes around and temperatures…
I am a strong person?
I have noticed something in the midst of pandemic life. I have seen many people interviewed who have expressed surprise they have contracted the corona virus. They often say some version of "I am a strong man/woman, I am really active, I keep really busy, and still I got this virus." I find the number…
Nothing is Ruined or Lost
I have been seeing articles lately, mostly aimed at millennials, declaring that this summer or this year is lost. I confess that I am mystified by this feeling, though I am not unfamiliar with it. In fact, I hear similar things from my thirty something daughter all the time. The summer is lost because the…
Unseen Casualties
The most important casualties of the current pandemic are those with COVID 19. They are the victims and they are receiving most of the attention - as they should. Then there are those who desperately want to be victims, the conspiracy theorists and those who feel their rights are being impinged upon when asked to…
Let’s Get Real
Can I be honest for just a minute? I am talking about being brutally honest and pulling no punches. If this corona virus has taught us anything, it has taught us that we are surrounded by ego maniacal, delusional, narcissistic assholes. There really is no other way to put it that does justice to the…
Priorities
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), one of the poorest excuses for a human being in Congress today, if not in history, first said that the corona virus wasn't serious and then said that a death rate of one percent wasn't worth harming the economy. In other words Ron Johnson's greed, in his very tiny mind and…
Three People and a Goat
COVID 19, aka the corona virus, seems to have brought the world to its knees - with some notably stupid exceptions. In the United States, we have seen increasingly restrictive measures taken by state and local governments as they try to control the spread of a virus that we still aren't completely sure of its…
Sometimes, the pain…
Sometimes, the pain - whether physical, emotional, or psychological - is too much. Despite all of our best intentions and determination, the thought of moving forward is overwhelming. We have listened to doctors, therapists, teachers, and gurus who have all told us that we must press on, but in this moment we feel absolutely exhausted…
Craig Bergland 