300 words a day

Stay connected.

I’ve lived in thirteen different places since I was born – living at least one year in each place. It’s hard to keep up with friends I’ve known across the years and miles. It’s easy to long for a time when people lived in one place from birth till death. Family and friends were consistent […]

by Jon Swanson

My other dad, Tom.

I met Tom Kies the summer of 1982. His daughter and I had decided to get married. Sometime in the month between decision and proposal, Tom and Marion and Nancy and I had dinner together. I was nervous. I was a grad student with no real job, about to move to Texas to start my […]

by Jon Swanson

A day.

A list from a day, in no particular order, and with little connection between the items. I envy people who can keep the pieces all straight, keep the thoughts all in line, keep the details and the pattern at their appropriate altitudes in the heart and mind and soul. The majority of us cannot. […]

by Jon Swanson

Last words

These aren’t my last words. As far as I know. I’m planning to write 300 more tomorrow, and 300 more the day after that. I have every expectation of having many more opportunities for reflection. But what if I don’t? What if this is my last chance to lay out a framework for thinking, or […]

by Jon Swanson

Please take care of me

(This originally appeared in a series on “The Lord’s Prayer” on February 28, 2009) “You aren’t going to leave me, are you?” When you are getting to know someone too good to be true, you have questions. You acknowledge their greatness. You ask them for help. You acknowledge your weakness. Then, after all that, as […]