We’ve lost several cultural heroes in recent weeks: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Betty White, and now Sidney Poitier. The heroes we select guide our lives as surely as the Star of Bethlehem guided the Magi to the newborn Christ-child. Where we end up on a trip depends on which signs we follow. Pick the wrong sign and end up someplace you didn’t intend to go. Desmond Tutu was a hero worth following. His contributions toward peace […]
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Thanksgiving 400
Thanksgiving will soon be upon us again. This one is the 400th anniversary of the first feast between the Pokanoket people and the newly arrived English settlers. The version of this encounter we’ve taught school children for generations is a bit truncated and lopsided, but there really was a three-day feast in Plymouth, MA back in the fall of 1621. To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the event, the Sowams Heritage Organization is hosting a […]
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Harriet Tubman
I’ve known about Harriet Tubman for years, but did not realize she had a farm in Auburn, NY. We hadn’t planned to stay in Auburn, but we did plan to take Route 20 across the state to visit the finger lakes region. An Inn in Auburn had an opening at a price we liked, so we booked a room there. Driving into town to our Inn, I saw the signs for the Harriet Tubman Home. […]
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Louis Satchmo Armstrong
It is highly unlikely I’ll ever be rich or famous, however, I’ve been fortunate to cross paths with a few folks who were one or both of these. Louis Satchmo Armstrong had no idea who I am, but I knew his name well. He was one of my father’s favorite musicians. Dad built a Heath Kit home stereo system that sat in the corner of our dining room. When Dad was home the house filled […]
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Bishop Phil Wahlberg
Are there people in your life who crossed your path at a particularly crucial moment, changing the direction you’ve traveled ever since? Recently deceased Bishop Phil Wahlberg was one of those people in my life. Officially The Rev. Philip L. Wahlberg, Jr., I have always known him as Bishop Phil Wahlberg. He died Sunday, May 9, 2021 at age 97. His impact on my life and my family is too enormous to tally. I first […]
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