During the years I spent mostly in my studio as a working artist, I would occasionally reflect on Norwegian Edvard Munch’s famous portrait “Scream,” a sordid face reflecting the terrorized human condition. I preferred images of flowers and photographs of my children. …

When it comes to those who have a leadership role — a Senator, maybe, or a CEO — I’ve always most admired the quiet ones. I don’t know Warren Buffet personally but he strikes me as someone who doesn’t bellow and scream. I imagine he talks. I thought it was…

The National Cathedral in Washington DC is sometimes called “America’s Church.” It was chartered by Congress in 1893, built on the highest point in the city. It’s the cathedral where funerals of presidents are held, where prayer services are convened during national calamities. I was stunned to be invited to…

I was born in Louisville, KY, so it was a special honor when the University of Louisville and the Louisville Community Foundation gave me their “Victory of Spirit Award” in 1994. With the Award came an invitation to offer a lecture on some aspect of ethics. …

For a very long time, I thought I had nothing to say. I was intimidated by people with degrees and high positions, experts. Early in my career, I specialized in being quietly creative as a TV morning show producer, a presidential “advanceman,” and an event planner. The emphasis should be…

I have some wonderful friends. A few are relatively new but some have been close for decades. Among my friends are the people who go unnamed but know I am writing of and to them. We’ve been together, you and I, through births and miscarriages, splendid weddings and broken marriages…

The idea was that, if I had the cataracts pulled from each eye, I’d not need to remember where I left my glasses this time. For reasons I can’t quite understand, my glasses are always missing — not a crisis, but a constant irritant. The physician I consulted said the…

Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone and, once again, I’ve successfully ignored another commercial and contrived Hallmark holiday. This year, the hearts and roses were largely overshadowed at least in my Los Angeles neighborhood by America’s more meaningful holiday, the NFL Super Bowl. Let’s face it, Americans: You can…

Whatever else we say of the COVID pandemic, we can safely say this: It’s changed us. Two years ago we showered in the morning and rinsed our hands before eating. …