Vignettes

Just coming back from vacation (June-July 2008), it just struck me just how much joy I got meeting again in that brief sojourn many people I have not seen from 10 to 40 years. They came from a wide gamut of past relationships - former hs and college classmates, colleagues at my old CPA firm. neighbors, relatives, even former teachers. They have all aged, as I have. Yet, the glitter (or tears?) in their eyes could not hide the reciprocal joy they got from our encounters. They met me with handshakes, embraces, hugging, even some kisses. There were those I planned to see, but was unable for various reasons. Still, the visit – my first in 10 years and third in the three decades I was away – gave me the rare and unimaginable opportunity to pray with a good number of them about their various challenges and physical afflictions. Those sessions were the mountain tops of my trip. If for those moments alone, I would love to replicate the visit. Truly. Thank You Lord

Vignettes

I have always loved books. Historical, political, puzzles or enigmas, faith-based, sci-fi, romantic comedies, sleuthing, you name it. Dire economic straits while growing up, however, dampened that inclination so severely i could not even buy my college textbooks. But I knew no bounds. I became a ubiquitous denizen of the school library just to fulfill my homework requisites and to go beyond .... satisfying a voracious stomach for the printed media. Sub-consciously, I promised myself that in every home I would buy in the future - if I could - would have a niche for innumerable books, if not a library. That dream was fulfilled many times over in America.

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