This Veterans Day, let’s remember that every soldier to join forces under the American flag was risking their life for democracy – the right of all our people to have their say in who governs them. This year’s election saw the greatest percentage of American citizens to vote since 1968. In the middle of theContinue reading “Veterans Day 2020”
Category Archives: essay
Our President
The president, more than any other elected official, is America’s image of itself: the one who represents us on the world stage. It is the president’s job to embody our national character. The heart of that national character, borrowed from civilizations going back to ancient Greece, by way of the Enlightenment philosophers of France (althoughContinue reading “Our President”
Music 101: Observation
The final lesson in Mr. Mike’s Remote Learning Experience is for the more advanced student. Before attempting to undertake this one, you should have mastered at least one of the preceding lessons, namely: Gratitude, Grace, Humility, Patience, Humor, or Passion. If you have not mastered any of these, you should think long and hard aboutContinue reading “Music 101: Observation”
Music 101: Humility
There are four cardinal virtues, first recognized by Plato, and later by Aristotle, Augustine, and Aquinas (and probably by people further along in the alphabet): Prudence – the ability to let reason dictate action Justice – the ability to interact fairly with others Fortitude – the ability to persevere circumstance with dignity, and Temperance –Continue reading “Music 101: Humility”
Music 101: Grace
You might try to make music without grace but I can tell you from experience that whatever it is you are creating without grace, it is not music. Grace is a bit of a tricky concept. We have all watched someone move gracefully and felt the calmness of soul that accompanies such movement. That suddenContinue reading “Music 101: Grace”
