We all know what it is like to be part of our society: lots of things on the go, and ever-more things to buy. Threaded through most of the things we do are the people in our lives — our family, friends, work mates, service people and those driving by us. As a former computer… Continue Reading
Author Archives: Rob Hueniken
Trees only get one channel
When we get out into nature one thing becomes clear: nature is a fantastic experience, in all its variations. Nature is reality TV in its purest form. A friend and I went walking yesterday in a hill-top park that holds our city’s water supply, suitably called Reservoir Park. It is an inspiring combination of urban… Continue Reading
Maybe Smarties maybe balloons
Things that look alike can turn out to be very different as we get closer to them, and get to know them. I have always been a fan of Smarties, the colorful candy-coated chocolate treats (Wikipedia). Round but also flat, small but easy to grab — they are fun to eat and easy to share. … Continue Reading
Growing upward in the autumn
Each autumn a diaspora of children, young and getting older, spreads into schools and communities across the nation. As the parent of a university-aged daughter, I hold dearly my role in helping her grow from a teen to an adult. Yesterday my wife and I helped our daughter move into her new home, using two… Continue Reading
Cookies make us kids again
There is one thing that can bring people of all ages and cultures to a shared smile: cookies. Our local deli-restaurant is a gathering place on Sundays, where family and friends get together. Everyone gets to order their own meal from the various counters so we tend to grab our trays and spread out when… Continue Reading
Celebrating endless love
Today we celebrated the truly endless love of family and friendships — the love that each of us can be part of. I had the honor of helping to celebrate the life of my daughter-in-law’s grandfather. Bruce lived to be 91, and he and Ida had been married for 70 years. That is a long… Continue Reading
A Windy Day Fan
One of my favorite natural events is a windy day. Feeling the strong but invisible push against my face is a joy that I have felt since childhood. Barring flying grit, rain or the need to ride a bicycle, a windy day is a great way to have fun. I don’t need a kite or… Continue Reading
The wind beneath wasp wings
While having lunch outdoors yesterday my friend and I were visited by two wasps. The wasps in our area rarely sting you if you let them be, but “letting them be” usually involves them hovering around or crawling on both your food and yourself. We kept hoping the wasps would go away but they persisted.… Continue Reading
A Later Perspective with More Compassion
It’s amazing how unchanging our perspectives can be over time. I had a chance yesterday to see how revisiting some details from my past could give me a new perspective and understanding of a situation. Yesterday I got to reminisce at a party with a classmate from my childhood days, who I hadn’t seen in… Continue Reading
Becoming Batman
Our continued interest in comic book heroes reflects our admiration for those who help others despite the challenges. When I was a boy I got my comic book fix in 12 cent monthly increments They were delivered via the local variety store called [in all its early innocence and lung-stomping dastardliness] the Smoke Shop. There,… Continue Reading