I feel it’s my patriotic duty to vote, but these days, voting feels more like an exercise in tribal affiliation than a pursuit of meaningful change. Candidates on both sides spout platitudes and vitriol, but no one addresses the real issues. This post is about a dream. A dream that one day we will move beyond divisive political personalities and begin addressing our country’s pressing issues together.

I've been following US and world news closely for over fifty years. I had to for my job (managing global supply chain functions). This takes a fair amount of time. Now that I'm retired, I'm wondering if spending so much time on the news makes sense.

My brother-in-law, may he rest in peace, ended up at the bottom of our lake. It’s a long story…

Recently, I was at the license bureau renewing my driver’s permit. The waiting room was jammed. The ticket machine spat out a slip indicating I was 85th in the queue. The Now Serving screen displayed the number 21; time to practice my Buddha nature. As I settled into an uncomfortable plastic chair, I gazed around the room. Everyone had their head bowed. They were not praying! What did people do before smartphones? I decided to leave my phone in my jacket and just watch. Not

Let’s say you are at the park and see a 5-year-old girl playing on a swingset. There’s nothing special about that; you notice her and move on. Alternatively, what if that 5-year-old is your daughter or granddaughter? The Austrian-Israeli philosopher Martin Buber contrasted such experiences, describing them as “I-It,” vs. “I-Thou” encounters. “I-Its” are dispassionately labeled and filed away in memory, whereas “I-Thous” are imbued with intimacy. The “I-It” world is grounde

It’s popular today to assume we’re swirling the drain. Climate change, mass extinctions, political divisiveness, inequality, debt, and mass shootings support that assumption. Todays’s news feeds remind me of Pvt. Moriarty in the 1970 WW2 comedy film Kelly’s Heroes. Donald Sutherland played a long-haired Zen-minded Sgt. Oddball. Pvt. Moriarty is “Debbie Downer,” always pointing … Continue reading “Negative Waves”

After years of study, writing, and reflection, a collection of 144 essays exploring joy, meaning, and the art of living well becomes a book.

What if growing older actually makes us younger? Inspired by Bob Dylan's timeless lyrics, this reflection explores how age can replace certainty with curiosity and invite us to experience life more fully.

Some places never stop holding the people we love. This reflection explores how memories transform ordinary places into lasting reminders of family, friendship, gratitude, and a life well lived.

Each generation wonders what kind of world its children will inherit. Looking back through family history reveals a remarkable truth: the future has always unfolded in ways no one could have imagined.

Every generation wonders whether the world is getting better or worse. Looking back on childhood memories and today's culture raises an important question: are things truly declining, or is this simply part of growing older?

Looking back on visits to Grandma's home reveals more than fond childhood memories. It reminds us of a time when community, conversation, and caring for one another were the center of daily life.

As the details of our lives gradually fade with time, what remains is the impact we leave on others. This Mother's Day reflection honors a woman whose greatest accomplishment was the life she poured into her family.

A warm Christmas greeting from the Coats family, celebrating grandchildren, retirement, treasured time together, and the beauty found in being present during the holiday season.

A New Year’s Resolution We have a cabin on a lake in NW Wisconsin. For the past twenty years, I’ve battled to keep the outside out. It seems mice find interior warmth alluring, and they are ingenious at having their way. Each year, I search out and seal ports of entry, but the mice always … Continue reading “A New Year’s Resolution”

A field of wildflowers and six peaceful Holstein cows offer Tim Coats an unexpected lesson in presence, aging, and appreciating the fleeting beauty of the moment.