Nature Finds a Way
This morning I shared my shower with a small white spider. For many people, this would be a cause for considerable panic, for many more an inconvenience which needs to be removed – an extra…
Category: Miscellaneous Nonfiction
How Christians and Muslims Unite in the Quest for Goodness, Truth, and Beauty
My friend Fakhri Owaisi tagged me in a post that was put out by my other friend, Nick Orzech, which was shared from an anonymous source about his/her preference for Islam and why, even though…
“So, What Do You Believe?”: Walking My Own Earth-Based Path
These days, especially on social media, I often get asked the question, “So, what do you believe?” You’d think that would be a fairly simple question to answer but often, especially when it comes to…
Tolkien “Pilgrimage” Itinerary – Part 2
Preparations Part Two Day 4 - Oxford to Birmingham Since our bus to Birmingham was leaving at 11:30, I decided to go and see the bust of Tolkien at English Faculty Library right after breakfast,…
Tolkien “Pilgrimage” Itinerary – Part One
Preparations: Part One When I learnt that the Bodleian Libraries were going to organize an all Tolkien exhibition, providing an opportunity to see his manuscripts and other personal items, as comes only once in a…
The Magic of the Christmas Spirit
It’s that time of year again when the lights go on the house, the tree is put up, and people are hurrying to and fro trying to find that perfect present. Some enjoy the gift-giving,…
Alban Arthan: A Reflection on Yule and the Winter Solstice
In our circle, we gather round,and with songs, our voices ring.We settle down to enjoy the tale of the Oak and the Holly King. Then we sit and share the feast,as we pass bread and…
A Tree For Mary: An Islamic Nativity Reflection
The Bible and the Qur’an describe the birth of Jesus with different details, and to find the story of a blessed tree associated with Jesus’ birth, one must look to the Qur’an. First, the annunciation…
Spirit of Yule: A Historical Overview of the Pagan Tradition
Few people realize that the origin of a form of Christmas was pagan, and was celebrated in Europe long before anyone there had heard of Jesus Christ. No one knows what day Jesus Christ was…
Being Thankful: A Christmas at Home
[For Simon Roper and Suzanne Ford, for their support]. This is my house; our house. You see the guitar, thrown down on the arm-chair? We have that guitar because my mum bought it for my…