Month: July 2025

The Day We Hunted the Boston Strangler (and Got Hungry Instead)

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When the Boston Strangler escaped prison, a group of boys set out on a boxcar adventure. Would they be heroes—or just hungry dreamers?

I grew up a few miles from state prison. The railroad tracks which ran close by my house also ran by the prison. There were times on that was a lot of excitement because the prisoner had escaped. Most of the escapees or trustee who worked on a farm that surrounded the prison. The farm land was owned by the prison and the produce was used to help feed the prisoners. They escape or generally trustees. That’s what they call the prisoners who worked on the farm who decided that they had it and they took off down the tracks and headed for Boston, which was 26 miles away. One time a famous prisoner who was known as the Boston strangler escaped my buddies, and I were so excited when we heard the news that we ran to the railroad tracks and climbed on top of the freight cars. In those days there were no cell phones but we thought if we could catch a glimpse of the Boston strangler we have a story to tell in school as well as being heroes if we told the police where they could catch the strangler. After a few hours of lying on top of the freight cars we got bored and decided to find our excitement someplace else. The Boston strangler was eventually recaptured and everything returned to normal. We had a shot at fame, but it didn’t materialize.

3 Questions to Tie into the Theme:

  1. Why do moments of fear and danger often become some of our most cherished childhood memories?
  2. How did imagination and curiosity shape the way you experienced the world as a kid?
  3. What stories from your youth remind you of how close you came to greatness… only to choose snacks instead?

Light for the Journey:

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Sing Anyway: Why the World Needs Your Voice

Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best. ` Henry Van Dyke

Reflection:

Henry Van Dyke’s words cut through perfectionism with grace and truth. Too often, we silence ourselves—not because we lack something to offer, but because we fear we’re not “the best.” But imagine if birds did the same. The woods would lose their music. Likewise, the world would lose you—your ideas, your humor, your kindness, your art—if you hold back. Talent isn’t about outperforming others; it’s about showing up, sharing what you can, and knowing it matters. The beauty of your gift lies in its authenticity, not its flawlessness. You don’t need to win a contest to make a difference. Sing your note. Write your truth. Paint your colors. Teach, love, lead, dance—whatever calls to you. The forest doesn’t need a soloist. It needs a chorus. So bring your voice. It’s time to sing.

A Home Song ~ A Poem by Henry Van Dyke

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A mansion without love is still a cage, but a simple room with kindness is a palace. Discover the truth your heart has always known.

A Home Song

Henry Van Dyke

I read within a poet’s book
     A word that starred the page:
“Stone walls do not a prison make,
     Nor iron bars a cage!”

Yes, that is true; and something more
    You’ll find, where’er you roam,
That marble floors and gilded walls
    Can never make a home.

But every house where Love abides,
     And Friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home-sweet-home:
     For there the heart can rest.

Source

Reflection:

Van Dyke’s poem gently but powerfully reminds us that home is not found in architecture or affluence, but in affection. Stone walls may not imprison, and golden ones cannot comfort. The true warmth of a home comes not from the fireplace, but from the souls within it—those who love, listen, and linger with you through life’s moments. A gilded cage remains a cage if it lacks connection, but even the humblest shelter becomes sacred when love and friendship are present. In a world often obsessed with appearances and upgrades, this poem calls us back to the essence: rest for the heart, offered freely where love abides. Wherever kindness dwells and friendship takes off its coat to stay awhile—that’s home. And that’s enough.

3 Questions to Help the Reader Dive Deeper:

  1. Have you ever felt more at home in a humble space than in a luxurious one? Why?
  2. What qualities make a space feel safe, welcoming, and restful for your heart?
  3. How can you bring more love and friendship into the spaces you inhabit each day?

Writing Prompt: Sober and Stalked: When Recovery Turns Dangerous

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She went to AA to heal. He went to find her. What began as shared stories of struggle could turn into a fight for her life—and her sobriety.

Opening Paragraph:

At twenty-eight, Rachel Blake had already burned through a marriage, two firms, and enough bourbon to anesthetize her regrets. Now six months sober, she clung to her AA group like a life raft—especially the Tuesday night meetings in the church basement that smelled like weak coffee and redemption. That’s where she first met Jared. He was soft-spoken, intense, and always sitting just a little too close. At first, she chalked it up to shared vulnerability. But soon came the texts she never gave her number for, the flowers left on her apartment doorstep, and the sense she was being watched long after the meetings ended. Rachel has worked too hard to crawl out of darkness. But obsession has a way of pulling you back under. As her past threatens to unravel and Jared’s behavior escalates, Rachel will have to confront more than addiction—she may have to fight for her very survival.

3 Questions to Dive Deeper:

  1. Can Rachel trust her instincts, or is her past clouding her judgment?
  2. What role does vulnerability play in both healing—and being hunted?
  3. How do we stay strong in recovery when danger wears a sympathetic face?

Practice Gratitude Like You Mean It

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Gratitude: Your Brain’s Natural Antidepressant

A grateful heart rewires your brain—and your life.

Gratitude doesn’t just feel good—it’s good for you. Neuroscience research reveals that regular gratitude practice activates brain regions associated with dopamine and serotonin, the feel-good chemicals (Zahn et al., 2009).

Spend a few minutes each day writing down 3 things you’re thankful for. Be specific. “My hot coffee this morning” or “My neighbor’s wave.” The more details, the more impact.

You’ll start to notice the good more often, even in hard moments. Gratitude is a lens—it helps you see that even when life is imperfect, it can still be beautiful.

When You Can’t Do What You Love, Make It Fun Anyway

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Not every job is a dream—but that doesn’t mean it has to be a drag. Sometimes, joy isn’t in what you do… it’s in how you do it.

What do you like to do? Everyone I know would like to be able to have a job where they were doing what they really enjoy doing. I know some people who are doing that. I think they’re in the minority. I think most people are neutral some days. Their jobs are good and some days their job suck. That sounds like life. And then this is the group where this job sucks but it’s all I can do and I need to eat..We always can’t do what we like to do. Sometimes, and maybe most of the time, we do what we have to do. It may be a reason why we look forward to our vacations. It gives us a chance to get away from doing what we really don’t enjoy doing. We get a chance to escape at least temporarily. It’s also a reason why we like to watch certain types of movies or TV shows and escape vicariously through the characters. An important question we can ask ourselves is, “What can I do to make my job more enjoyable?” I think every job can be made more enjoyable. My dad’s second job was being.a bartender. If there were a professional sport where you had to silde a beer down the length of the bar and hiave it stop in front of the person who ordered the beer, my dad was an all-star. He’d brag about how he’d bet some non-believer he could slide a beer down the bar with the accuracy of a neurosurgeon. How can you add some fun to your job?

3 Questions to Dive Deeper:

  1. What’s one small thing you could change today to make your job more enjoyable?
  2. Are there parts of your work where you can express creativity, humor, or mastery?
  3. What can you learn from people like your dad who brought pride and fun to even a second job?

Song ~ A Poem by Jacques Prevert

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A Love That Transcends Time: The Everyday Miracle


What if the most profound truths are found not in the grand events of life, but in the unnoticed, everyday acts of love and being?

Song

Jacques Prevert

What day is it
It’s everyday
My friend
It’s all of life
My love
We love each other and we live
We live and love each other
And do not know what this life is
And do not know what this day is
And do not know what this love is

Source

Reflection:

Prévert’s Song captures a fragile yet enduring truth—how we live and love without fully understanding the forces shaping us. In just a few lines, he weaves together the ordinary and the eternal: “It’s everyday” becomes both a calendar mark and a quiet philosophy. Love is lived before it is defined, and life is shared before it is understood. This poem is a whisper reminding us that presence, not comprehension, may be the truest form of meaning. We don’t need to know what the day is to live it fully. We don’t need to understand love to be transformed by it. Life is not a puzzle to be solved, but a song to be sung—out of tune at times, perhaps, but always worth singing.

3 Questions to Dive Deeper:

  1. How does not knowing what life or love “is” actually deepen our experience of them?
  2. What does it mean to live fully in the “everyday” without needing certainty or clarity?
  3. In your own life, what small, repeated acts reflect deep love that words could never explain?

Light for the Journey: Sunlight for the Soul: The Power of a Joyful Heart

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What if your heart could be a beam of heaven’s own sunlight? Discover how joy reveals divine love—and why it might just save the day.

A joyful heart is like the sunshine of God’s love, the hope of eternal happiness. ~ Mother Teresa

Reflection:

Mother Teresa’s words are a reminder that joy isn’t surface-level giddiness—it’s the deep, abiding warmth that radiates from a heart aligned with love. A joyful heart, she says, is “like the sunshine of God’s love.” Think about that. Sunshine doesn’t pick favorites. It shines freely, touching everything in its path. So does joy when it comes from the soul. It’s not based on perfect circumstances—it’s rooted in a quiet trust that love is stronger than fear, and that we’re all being gently held by something greater. That kind of joy becomes a window into eternity, a glowing promise that what we hope for—peace, love, meaning—isn’t wishful thinking. It’s already shining within us. A joyful heart doesn’t deny sorrow—it carries hope through it. So let joy rise. Even in the cracks. Especially there. That’s where sunlight always finds its way in.

Writer’s Prompt: Last Call for the President: A Bartender’s Deadly Secret”

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He was pouring drinks, not looking for trouble—until he overheard a plan to kill the President. The question is: will anyone believe him in time?

Opening Paragraph:

Drew McKay didn’t want to be a hero. He wanted to close out the register, wipe down the bar, and be home in time to feed his cat. But that night, a man and a woman walked into The Stag and Lantern and ordered bourbon with the calm confidence of people hiding something. It wasn’t what they drank—it was what they said between sips. He heard the words “presidential route,” “blind spots,” and “no margin for failure.” Drew froze. Pretending to mop, he memorized everything. He called the Secret Service hotline before his shift ended. Agents came. They questioned him. Then they left. Case closed. Nothing there. But Drew knows what he heard. He’s watched the couple return twice, always quiet, always watching the news. They’re not done. And he can’t shake the feeling: if he doesn’t act, the President won’t survive the week. Problem is, someone’s now watching him. And in this game, the only thing more dangerous than being right… is being alone.

3 Questions to Dive Deeper:

  1. What would you do if you were the only person who believed a national tragedy was about to happen?
  2. How far would you go to stop something terrible if the authorities dismissed your warning?
  3. Who can be trusted when the lines between truth, paranoia, and conspiracy begin to blur?

Create a Movement Habit You Love

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Move for Joy, Not Guilt

Exercise shouldn’t feel like punishment. Let movement become your celebration.

The best exercise is the one you’ll actually enjoy—and stick with. Studies show that people who find pleasure in physical activity are more likely to sustain it long-term (Segar et al., 2016).

So ditch the “no pain, no gain” mantra. Replace it with: “Move for joy.” Whether it’s dancing in your living room, walking your dog, gardening, or Tai Chi in the park—if it gets you moving and lifts your mood, it counts.

Don’t tie movement to weight loss. Tie it to how alive it makes you feel. Your body is not a project—it’s your home.

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