What If? A Sixty-Word Short Story: * “There is this event coming up soon”, she started, “actually it’s upon us, and I was wondering if maybe, you would like ummm, well I mean…, if I were to ask you, hypothetically speaking, to go with me to this event, what would you say?” “Yes of course.” […]
Point of Contact I subscribe to a belief that nothing is in isolation. Everything and everybody are connected somehow and that every, or even any, action causes a ripple in events and circumstances that generates the potential for lasting change. Sometimes even the most casual gesture like a smile can transform a person’s entire day. […]
Creating Wisdom A Sixty-Word Short Story: * No one could tell Jonathan anything. He knew it all, and let you know it when he was in your presence. He was always the smartest person in the room; even if we knew he wasn’t, he acted like he was. He was the boss, and he had […]
Welcome to Summer This week on Friday we celebrate the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. I hope whatever you choose to do with the extra daylight is fun. If you’re a sun worshiper this is definitely the glass half full version of the year. I hate to be a spoiler but from […]
Press Pause A Sixty-Word Short Story*: Arthur, please don’t call me Art, typically saw the world through a half-empty glass. He had trained himself to believe that most people do not keep their promises and based on the many times he had felt misled, he was angrily responding to a date-cancelling text. Another let down […]
Enthusiasm Counts Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm.” I remember reading that in High School and thinking that’s a pretty good mantra, and I like to believe that I’ve been able to see enthusiasm in action both as an observer and as the source. It’s been the greatest asset […]
Image is Destiny A Sixty-Word Short Story*: Jack had walked two […]
Relationship Reboot Fresh Starts Take Effort A Sixty-Word Short Story*: Carl had not seen or talked to her in a while and wondered how she was doing. Would she answer his call? Probably, he thought, but just what memory would frame the next conversation was hard to predict and he knew it would determine the […]
Mother’s Day – This story has run on Mother’s Day a few times over the last couple of decades, but I love repeating it. If you’re a new reader of the Book of Szen I hope you like it and for those that have seen this story before, you’re seeing it again. Enjoy the day, […]
There’s Still Time A Sixty-Word Short Story*: That was the end of it. Carl had told his story so many times that he grew weary just thinking about it. Where had he gone so wrong that he could no longer imagine the future he once aspired to? Deep inside he knew the answer, and although […]