Author: Stan Escott

The “C” Word!

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I never expected to hear the word cancer, especially when there had not been cancer as far back in the family tree as we could remember.  As I sat there, denial washed over me and I thought:  Mistake!  Can’t be!  Yet, there it was.

My wife and I had watched as the thoracic surgeon played the results of my PET scan and Bang! a nodule, bright and shining popped up before our eyes, and we heard his words:  “It’s as hot as a light bulb and it’s got to come out, now!” Surgery should be scheduled soon, he says, and we found it difficult to process those words. Continue reading

Under the Influence?

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Under the influence!  What does that phrase bring to mind?  Did it register with you as being in an altered state of mind because of the use/abuse of alcohol or other drugs, such as marijuana.  Or, possibly that altered state was the result of a crisis in your life, or perhaps the powerful influence of those around you? Continue reading

Safe

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Safe.  Such a little word.  We know what it means in baseball and in banks.  When we use it to describe our sense of presence, it strongly implies physical safety.  It is a little like security, but a bit closer to peace.  Safe.

David Foster and Carol Bayer Sager have written a beautiful, special song, “The Prayer“, which captures the meaning and importance of a spiritual presence, which, by its very nature, is part and parcel of being “safe”: Continue reading

Dedicated to Peace

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Recently I participated in a dedication ceremony for a “Peace Pole”.  The multi-sided pole states in several languages our mutual hope for peace in our world.  In our small community we have many of these symbols of peace, scattered in various locations where they serve as a reminder of what is important.

Throughout this country there is a disappointing sense that peace is so illusive, that to pursue it is a fool’s errand”, or not “cost-effective” or it would wreak havoc on our “military industrial complex”!  Somehow, along the way, we have lost that very important guiding principle that was once so powerful that it caused the birth of our country!  Freedom without peace, or peace without freedom — neither one works until they are joined. Continue reading

A Most Appropriate Memorial

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For years, on Memorial Day weekend, my wife and I have visited the cemetery where my parents are buried.  It has become a tradition that helps us focus on memories and the role that mother and dad played in my life.  As we stood at the graveside, I recalled a short story, a work of fiction that our daughter had written about her grandmother, whom she never met, since my daughter was born years after my mother died. Continue reading

Two Silver Coins

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Street Scene: There’s that guy, standing at the corner, holding a sign:  “Homeless.  Need food”.   Or, the sign reads – “Will Work for Food”.  Or, you are on your way into a store and are stopped by a young man who tells you he hasn’t eaten in two days, could you spare some money? Then there is that plea on television showing these sad little puppies or kittens who have been abused, and asking for donations.  And, of course, we are asked to help victims of Katrina, or the tsunamis, or the crisis in Nigeria.  It seems like everybody wants money!  And all those pleas tend to give us pause when the next “opportunity” presents itself. Continue reading

The Law of Averages?

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The law of averages is a layman’s term used to express a belief that outcomes of a random event will “even out” within a small sample.  Taken from a different standpoint, one could make the argument that left to our own devices or proclivities, each one of us would not be considered average, would not be part of the “evening out”.  However, we are a product of society, and as such we are influenced to move toward that average, like it or not. Continue reading

Comfort Zone (Teller)

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Several years ago, on a ferry from Dover to Calais, heading for Antwerp, Belgium, I had no idea that I was in the process of having a heart attack!  That night, this wonderful trip we had planned, visiting the Martin Luther sites in Germany, on to England for the Phantom of the Opera at the Palace Theater and, then, on to the Lake District, came to a crashing halt. Continue reading

Kites, Coke and Isaly’s Ice Cream

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Just to set the stage for this essay:  In my early childhood I lived in Steubenville, Ohio, a small city on the banks of the Ohio River,  just across  from the steel mills of Wheeling, West Virginia.  My father was pastor of a Congregational Church and we lived in the parsonage.  Both the church and our house were situated on high hills well above the river and I recall with clarity pieces of my experience there with my two sisters and my parents.

The routines of our family were set by the pastoral work of dad and Sundays were very special.  After worship the family would gather at the table for a delicious meal that mother had prepared.  Dad would always turn on the radio to the Longines-Wittnauer Watch Hour and we would listen to classical music as we ate.  I believe I can trace my love of classical music to that Sunday dinner routine. Continue reading

Ah, Childhood!

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My early childhood was spent in Steubenville, Ohio, a small city on the banks of the Ohio River,  just across  from the steel mills of Wheeling, West Virginia.  My father was pastor of a Congregational Church and we lived in the parsonage.  Both the church and our house were situated on high hills well above the river and I recall with clarity pieces of my life there with my two sisters and my parents. Continue reading

Lucky Guy!

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Recently, a friend of ours told us of a terrible auto accident her 17-year-old son (call him Mike) had late one night coming back from his shift at a local fast food place.  His 14-year-old Pontiac was destroyed when he swerved to avoid hitting a deer and over-corrected.  His car flipped end over end and came to a jarring stop against a tree.  The air bags did not deploy, but Mike had his seatbelt on and sustained only relatively minor injuries. Continue reading

Don’t Bother Me with Facts!

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Would you believe that 25% of the general public that participated in a recent National Science Foundation survey believe that the sun revolves around the earth! Or, how about this one: Many believe the “most interesting man in the world” who appears in a beer ad, is a real “most interesting person.”  They are among those that believe that he really once experienced an awkward moment just to know how it feels!  Try to argue with these folks…see how far you get!  Don’t burden them with facts! Continue reading