Writing from the Heart with Brian
Think, Laugh, & Cry Each Day
(Reposted from December 2019.) The teacher stood over me like an angry giant. Looking back now I’m guessing that he couldn’t have been more than 5’8 or 5’9 tall and probably just graduated from college, but to my eyes, he held a position of authority, seemed pleased to catch his prey out of the classroom,... Continue Reading →
I like to manage my time. I make plans, I write up "to do" lists, I have goals I set for myself. When I became a father, though, I learned very quickly that I had very little control at all. You make dinner plans and the babysitter has to back out at the last minute.... Continue Reading →
We've had several fall weddings and are also celebrating our own anniversary, so I've been thinking a lot about marriage. It's a monumental moment, two people walking down the aisle to say their vows. There's plenty of jokes about marriage: "I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want... Continue Reading →
We see acts of courage — strength in the face of fear, pain or grief — in our lives all the time. I read this weekend about Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian journalist and human rights activist, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for her fight against the systematic discrimination and oppression of... Continue Reading →
When I was in grade school, I went out for pee wee football. As we lined up in rows and did our calisthenics before the start of practice — everything from jumping jacks to leg stretches to ab crunches — our coach would walk up and down each row offering a bit of wisdom, before... Continue Reading →
I’ve never met Joon Park, a chaplain at Tampa General Hospital, but I feel like I know him well. Park, 41, was featured recently in a CNN article and has counseled thousands of dying patients and their families. In the article, Park explained that most of the regrets he sees from patients on Death's Door come... Continue Reading →
I pulled into the parking space and looked at my watch. I had an hour before I needed to get back to the newsroom and finish up the story I was working on for the next day’s paper. I sat quietly in my car, the air conditioning on full blast, and thought one more time... Continue Reading →
I read this week that the New York City Fire Department has added 43 new names to its World Trade Center Memorial Wall commemorating firefighters, paramedics and civilian support staff members who have died from illnesses related to the rescue and recovery efforts in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attack. The new names... Continue Reading →
I’m generally not one to run from milestone birthdays or special events. I’ve always loved celebrating my birthday. I couldn’t wait to turn 16 to drive and looked forward well in advance to turning 21 so that I could legally drink. When I passed the 30, 40, and 50 birthday marks, I waved goodbye to... Continue Reading →
Writing from the Heart with Brian 
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