Author: Michael Farris

I think this is the time for you to take leave of your senses. In the middle of the everyday, the cut and dried, whatever you are doing right now — don't you yearn for something marvellous? That's what happened … Read more

My mother used to catch hold of me before I went out on a date, or to a party, or before I went off to start something new. "Michael, now you remember who you are." I think you know what … Read more

Who do you look like in your family? Whose eyes do you have? Whose ears? Who is responsible for your head of hair or lack of it? We are born with certain characteristics — they come from our parents, sometimes … Read more

Ever get the idea that church doesn't matter much? "I go to church," you say. "That's nice" is the answer. Nice, as if you confessed a passion for rhododendrons or let on you spent Sundays breeding Irish setters. Not "nice", … Read more

Do you know what I heard on the radio last week? An ad for a local funeral chapel, totally serious and in painfully good taste. "When your loved one dies, come and see us about our new Grief Management Program." … Read more

Robert Fulghum made a best seller with a book called, Everything I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten. You know this, I think: Share everything, play fair, don't hurt people, put things back where you found them, and … Read more

Have you thought about what you want to leave behind? Spiritually, I mean. When I was little, we used to go to the family cottage in winter and we had to walk in all the way from the main road. … Read more

Have you ever wondered why people do the things they do? The good things, I mean. An old teacher of mine said "You can make someone do something once through guilt. You can bring them a few times more through … Read more

So how long can you hold your breath? I can do it for a minute and ten seconds. You can hold your breath if you want, and turn a delicate shade of Presbyterian blue. But most of us don't want … Read more