Several years ago, while hiking with my son and grandsons in Utah’s Zion National Park, we enjoyed the beauty of the sandstone formations. One thing in particular that amazed me was the resolute nature of the plants in that dry desert environment. There were rugged but desperate trees growing out of cracks in sandstone walls….
Category: The Book of On – Volume 2
On Obedience
My grandson serving a mission in South Africa emails home every week in response to his mother’s questions. Before starting that procedure, his emails were very short and limited in information, like three or four short paragraphs. When he is required to respond to questions, she is getting some serious dialogue from him. She recently…
On Yin and Yang
In Chinese philosophy, Taoism, in general, the concept of yin yang is often used to describe how polar or seemingly contrary forces are actually interconnected and interdependent in this world of ours. As lively, young teenagers, knowing nothing about Taoism but only familiar with the terms Ying Yang (Yin Yang) we would use the terms…
On Foxholes
Tornadoes are frequent in the plains states, and as a result, most of the homes have been built with basements or root cellars, large enough to hold all the family members, in case of a storm. Many frightening stories have been told of houses that were carried away by the force of the winds. The…
On Friction
It is interesting to me to see how the same principal can often be used for both good and ill or, more commonly, for seemingly opposing purposes. In this case, I am referring to the principal of friction, which applies to mechanical things, as well as human relations and almost everything else in this beautiful…
On Someday
The other day I heard a song that reminded me of my younger years, when it seemed that we had so little that everything we wanted would have to wait until ‘someday.’ The song was by a Rob Thomas and part of it went something like this: “And maybe someday we’ll figure all this out,…
On the Devil II
Those who do not believe in God, first did not believe in the devil. Before they will ever believe in God, they will first come to realize that there is, in fact, a devil. Ronald Reagan used to quote the following: “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.”…
On My Place
Everyone needs to have a ‘place,’ a place where they can keep their ‘stuff.’ That place may be shared with someone else, maybe even several other people call it their place, as well. It may not be much to look at or have much value, but nevertheless, it is my place. There may be just…
On Luck
Luck is an interesting word that many people use almost daily. We all may feel that we have some sort of mystical luck, like a lucky number or a lucky object, such as a lucky bracelet, etc. When I was a young teenager, I felt like the number three was my lucky number. If things…
On Being Emotional
I don’t think I have ever met a person who was so insensitive that nothing would ever bring a tear to their eye. The trigger may be a thought of a deceased wife or child. It may be a moment of grief or a moment of extreme relief or happiness. It may be when they…