By JIM NICHOLS He hoped he had put on enough antiperspirant/deodorant that morning. He was facing one of the periodic daunting challenges of being a graduate student. In this case, he was seated on one side of the conference table and three of his professors were opposite him.  There were no rules; they could ask him any questions they wished.

By JIM NICHOLS At first glance or encounter, a labyrinth seems to be a maze; it is a path with twists and turns seeming to go nowhere. On closer attention, however, one realizes it is a path leading eventually to the center. Their meditative value is that they mimic the varying positions of life, eventually leading to a center of

By JIM NICHOLS We have all been there. We are sitting in a waiting room with both hope and fear. Behind that door is someone we have not met who will make a decision that could change our lives significantly. As an applicant for the job, we chose our clothes carefully. A mentor told me to “. . . dress

By JIM NICHOLS It seems noticeable to many of us that we are living in a fearful world. Perhaps humans have always felt that way, but I believe the amount of information to which we have access today accelerates our fearfulness. When this basic fearfulness combines with the wonderful creativity (for better or worse) of humans, the stage is set

By JIM NICHOLS The names are made up, but the story is common. David’s father, Ralph, was seriously ill. Ralph had a constellation of physical problems and he had been hospitalized for at least two weeks this time, growing weaker by the day. It seemed to everyone that this would probably be his last stay. Ralph certainly did not lack

By JIM NICHOLS You and I have trouble being consistent with our beliefs and stances. Sometimes, those inconsistencies are minor and overlooked by others and by ourselves. There may be issues, however, where it is worth our reconsideration. Here is a fill-in-the-blank exercise. It is based on a statement appearing in a published article. What word would you put into

By JIM NICHOLS One of the rather busy streets in my city bisects a cemetery. Both to the right and left are numerous burial plots that are part of the “municipal” cemetery. The areas are easily visible from the street, with only a low wooden fence separating them from the road. Within the boundaries and a radius of fifteen miles

By JIM NICHOLS The email from an old friend and colleague presented an invitation I could not refuse. It was a hard invitation, but a challenging and interesting one. He reported that he was in conversation with his adult daughter and she had asked him what books had been most important in building the character of his life. Momentarily stumped

By JIM NICHOLS Do you ever wonder what the catcher says to the pitcher when he visits the mound? A reporter asked a catcher, and the response was: “I tell him that this batter cannot hit an inside curve ball nor can he run fast. Furthermore, he tends to be afraid of getting hit by a pitch.” The reporter continued,