by Mark O'Brien | Dec 24, 2015
Bearing in mind that The Hero With a Thousand Faces, From Ritual to Romance, and The Golden Bough are among the most influential books in my life, I offer this reflection, with apologies to real poets everywhere: The venerable holidays are fast upon us now. The...
by Mark O'Brien | Nov 25, 2015
We’re going to step away for a few days to be with our families, to rest, to reflect, to recall all of the things by which we’re blessed, and to be thankful for every one of them. Here are two short lists: At home, we’re thankful for: The love and...
by Mark O'Brien | Sep 30, 2015
I visited New York City this past weekend, stopping at Ground Zero before taking the ferries to Liberty Island and Ellis Island. The experience reminded me of things I was in danger of forgetting. Here’s what I learned (again): The Freedom Tower at Ground Zero...
by Mark O'Brien | Aug 24, 2015
Bearing in mind that I write from the relatively affluent western part of the world — from the United States of America, in particular — I recognize the generalizations I express herein are limited to the socio-economic realities of geography. And I...
by Mark O'Brien | Jul 27, 2015
Wow! Sometimes I just can’t believe how coincident (but not coincidental) life can be and, in my case (forgive me for personalizing), how charmed my life can be. Just as I was thinking I was on the verge of a mid-life crisis or some kind of long-term malaise,...
