Lifestyle

August 1, 2024

Addendum: Fine-tuning the greater good

By Bob Sitze

In Lifestyle, Personal Power, Soul Searchings

August 1, 2024

2 Min Read

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01August

(Some additional “greater good” thoughts didn’t find their way into the previous entry. Here’s the rest of what was rattling around in my brain.) Greater-good-seeking will always remain risky, difficult work. Still, this way of living is worth pursuing because of its inherent worth, its benefits and outcomes. The value of seeking the greater good seems obvious: more people benefit from more ofMORE...

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July 5, 2024

Cathartic nudges

By Bob Sitze

In Current Events, Lifestyle, Soul Searchings, Words

July 5, 2024

2 Min Read

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05July

If you’ve gone through anything resembling a catharsis—a complete re-examination of your identity, purpose or worth—you might remember a possibly chaotic emotional state right before this deep self-cleaning began. Those emotions—including total repentance and longing for a fresh start—may have been strong motivation for you to move beyond the dead-end of an unsatisfying self-concept or lifestyleMORE...

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June 11, 2024

Frailty’s edges

By Bob Sitze

In Lifestyle, Mind/Body, Personal Power, Words

June 11, 2024

2 Min Read

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11June

It’s taken me awhile to admit that I’m an older gentleman. (I’ve always been an odd guy, but older was a bit harder.)  “Frail elder” will be similar: There might not be a definitive moment when I’ll say to myself, “Okay, NOW I’m a frail person.” Frailty—whatever it is—is probably sneaking up on me. Parts of my anatomy don’t work as well. I come away from medical tests and doctor visits withMORE...

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June 3, 2024

The generosity industry

By Bob Sitze

In Current Events, Lifestyle, Words

June 3, 2024

2 Min Read

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03June

There IS one, and society benefits from its presence. The organizations and individuals who constitute the enterprise of philanthropy make possible the well-being of all of us. Lately, it feels like this segment of American commerce may have hit a rough patch. Chris and I continue to receive in the mail increasing amounts of free gifts. Their implicit message seems plausible: “We have given youMORE...

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April 11, 2024

Memory work

By Bob Sitze

In Arcania, Lifestyle, Soul Searchings

April 11, 2024

2 Min Read

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11April

Every so often I hearken back to my early childhood memories. Today’s trip back in time took me to my first “memory work.” I attended a Lutheran grade school, and even in first grade we were assigned a daily Bible verse (or other important piece of spiritual truth) to memorize. The first entry in our memory book was 1 John 4:16b, “God is love.” My reaction on completing this assignment? “HeyMORE...

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April 8, 2024

Verification skills

By Bob Sitze

In Current Events, Lifestyle, Personal Power

April 8, 2024

2 Min Read

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08April

“What’s actually true?” This question is as old as Jacob fooling his vision-challenged father Isaac and as current as AI’s uncanny ability to invent and shape words, images and sounds. The matter of verifying truth has become a necessary skill, perhaps especially for those of us who are targeted with misinformation, manipulation or malpractice. Today a few reminders about developing a truthMORE...

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March 25, 2024

*Emptied Easter?

By Bob Sitze

In Lifestyle, Soul Searchings

March 25, 2024

2 Min Read

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25March

None of us would ever empty Easter of its power. Absent Easter’s premises and promises, the Christian life wouldn’t have much more to offer than a religion invented by science fiction writers or social malcontents.   What, then, might happen if, after Easter had passed, we hadn’t changed one iota of our lives. Wouldn’t we be turning Easter into something artificial or empty?  It would notMORE...

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February 29, 2024

My own (most grevious) fault

By Bob Sitze

In Lifestyle, Relationships, Soul Searchings, Words

February 29, 2024

2 Min Read

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29February

  One of Lent’s compelling narratives comes in the ritual of Confession. Its verbiage is striking: “Our fault, our own fault, our own most grievous fault.” These words suggest something more than garden-variety sinfulness or the “mortal sins” that Roman Catholics name as the most serious. Not only do we own our unrighteousness, but also openly admit its severe consequences: In a word: It’sMORE...

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February 8, 2024

Mess-makers and mess-sorters

By Bob Sitze

In Arcania, Current Events, Lifestyle, Relationships

February 8, 2024

2 Min Read

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08February

I’m coming off a period of several weeks when digital spam-senders have been sorely afflicting me. This experience got me to thinking about two kinds of people—those who create messes and those who sort them out. In this case, the mess-creators flooded me with unrelenting torrents of unwanted information. Varieties of mess-makers invade other aspects of our lives—perhaps too many to waste ink onMORE...

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February 1, 2024

What to do with an extra day

By Bob Sitze

In Arcania, Current Events, Lifestyle

February 1, 2024

2 Min Read

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01February

(As a present from yesteryears’ calendar wizards, you and I will get an entire extra day in this month. Today’s entry explores some possibilities for using this gift.) February 29th is like a time-bank whose deposits we get to withdraw now—an entire day added to our lives! How might we think differently about Leap Day if we considered it as something like a bonus or added-value coupon good onlyMORE...

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