Writing from the Heart with Brian
Think, Laugh, & Cry Each Day
(I originally ran this story on May 1, 2018. I've made a few updates.) I met Sam eight or nine years ago. He wore a flashy jacket and tie and was shaking hands like a local politician running for office. He was gripping and grinning, trying to make contact with as many people as possible.... Continue Reading →
A poignant scene in the movie Saving Private Ryan happens when General George C. Marshall reads a letter that President Abraham Lincoln wrote to Mrs. Lydia Bixby, a widow believed to have lost five sons during the Civil War. The movie is make-believe, but Lincoln's letter is most definitely real. In the letter, Lincoln writes:... Continue Reading →
(I ran version of this story in July 2016. I've updated and made a few changes to the piece.) When I was young kid, I loved to watch my dad carve an old sea captain or a duck from a block of wood. Or maybe a hound dog or grizzly bear. He carved anything that... Continue Reading →
I've watched as the New York Stock Exchange has experienced high volatility in recent months. One day it's up, the next it's a giant meteor crashing to the Earth. The S&P 500, the index tracking the performance of the 500 largest companies in the U.S., has experienced mixed numbers this year. While it was up 4.6%... Continue Reading →
(A version of this story ran in November 2019.) The dentist came into the room with a copy of my dental x-ray in his hand. He gave me a big smile that actually made me more nervous and went out of his way to promote the benefits of the practice’s 360-degree panoramic x-ray machine. He... Continue Reading →
Everyone in my class had left. The prof had packed up too. I sat staring at my notebook for the longest time. When I was 18 or 19 and in college, I needed an elective, so I took an Introductory Religious Studies Class. I walked into the class thinking it would be a piece of... Continue Reading →
Christians see Jesus Christ's death as the ultimate sacrifice, leading to forgiveness and redemption. When I look on Christ's crucifixion, it's so big, so immense. It's hard for me to get my hands around. Yet, I understand it better when I stop and notice the sacrifices all around me. Oh, these sacrifices are smaller, nothing... Continue Reading →
My father enters the diner. Elton John's song Crocodile Rock fills the restaurant. He sees me in a corner booth and starts to make his way toward where I'm seated. He's careful to let the waitress pass with a tray full of food. He wears a heavy flannel shirt and jeans. The temperature is supposed... Continue Reading →
I waited my turn for my lunch order to be finished. I drank my coffee and skimmed WordPress comments on my phone. The big guy next to me had his back turned towards me. I could see that he wasn't paying much attention to anyone else. He kept moving towards me. I inched my way... Continue Reading →
Writing from the Heart with Brian 
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