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,

By JIM NICHOLS The lab was humming with activity. Lights were flashing, pumps were pumping, and people in white coats were moving from bench to bench adjusting dials. Two different experiments were occurring simultaneously in the room and the workers were careful to make sure the mechanics of the room were correct. Getting accurate data from the experiments was the

By JIM NICHOLS Following is a short Facebook item I posted a few years ago. It just went out there into Facebook Land somewhere and may or may not have garnered any attention or “likes”; I do not know. I had forgotten about it until someone recently resurrected it and reminded me about it. I have no recollection of the