A Community

In a couple of our meetings, we’ve had discussions about possibly calling ourselves a community instead of a group, and I’m considering it seriously. The word “group” perhaps fails to capture what our meetings and support really amount to. A community shares characteristics and experiences, and maybe that’s why we gather with open hearts and minds to […]

Driving Home from Andrew’s

In last week’s column, I shared how touched I was to open up to the contractor who built Studio 505 (aka the building where I work) and receive such instantaneous support. Andrew not only did an amazing job accommodating my whims during the construction; he proved to be an affable, empathetic soul who ultimately became […]

Going to See Andrew

Studio 505 is the name of the building where I work. When my wife and I bought this house in 2021, we hired Andrew, an ambitious crew chief, to build a studio on the property. It is a fully-functioning multitrack music studio as well as the place I see patients. Andrew came to us highly […]

A Tale of Two Bracelets

The bracelet my now-estranged daughter gave me fell apart on the day I received her goodbye letter. Renee and I had just returned from a getaway to the Pacific northwest. We soaked in the scenery, ate well, and of course, did some shopping. I’m fond of simple, earthy jewelry and accessories, and while there I […]

The Two Epiphanies

I’ve made my share of mistakes. I’ve had victories, gotten lucky, and had what I’d consider to be a typical life for a guy into his sixth decade on the planet. As I sit here today, two epiphanies are my guideposts. Epiphany #1: In 2009, newly divorced and still a counseling intern, I found myself […]

I Dreamed I was Flying

From my youngest days, I remember nothing earlier nor more vividly than I do the flying dreams. It was a simple process each time, something akin to catching a breeze just right, leaning into it, and leaving terra firma. Upwards I’d soar, above those earthbound people every time, and sometimes even above the tallest skyscrapers.  There […]

Speaking Up

I taught my children that our moment, our opportunity to help someone in need, typically comes with little or no fanfare. I went to Florida in 2000 to check out some Texas Rangers spring training action. It was a great trip. I took in as many games as I could. I saw the Reds, Pirates, and of […]

A Drop of Water

I’ve had jobs with the word “bilingual” in the title, but I am not fluent in my other language, Spanish. My wife and kids think I am. Between high school and college, I had 12 semesters of Spanish classes. What they hear from my lips is convincing enough for them I suppose. Language fascinates me, […]

Crockpot Therapy

The potatoes are my favorite part. At 10:30am, I realize that my patient schedule is congested towards the latter end of today. That’s when I typically cook supper. Fortunately, I have a plan B for such occasions: the slow cooker. Pork shoulder, bell pepper, onion, garlic, stewed tomatoes, seasoning and oh yes, potatoes. Making a […]

All Things Indeed

It’s November of 1996, and I’m crying in the study of my apartment. I’ve just passed my sixth year of living in Austin, having escaped the chaos of my coastal upbringing. The greatest gift my father ever gave to me was the freedom to be me, whoever and wherever that was. Nowhere in my home […]