Larry Jordan

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"A Fuller Spectrum of Reality"

Jul 27, 2022 by Larry Jordan
Ten years ago, I read an article by an attorney who abandoned his conservative views for more liberal views when he glimpsed what he called "a fuller spectrum of reality." My journey was much the same, changing my politics, my spirituality, even my personality.

"I Really Don't Give a Sh*t about Anybody Else"

Jul 27, 2022 by Larry Jordan
I'm haunted by a recent conversation with a close friend, who said, "I care about myself. I care (a little bit) about my family and friends. I really don't give a sh*t about anybody else."

In Memory of Chad Maples

Jul 27, 2022 by Larry Jordan
My dear friend, Chad Maples, age 40, died in a horrible accident in 2020. Chad was a cool brother, a good friend, a loving son, and a wise mentor. 

The Canyon

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan
Over 5,000,000 tourists visit the North and South rims of the Grand Canyon every year. The canyon is sublime and surreal; it is also familiar and personal.

Take the Trail

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan
Most people see the world from the most accessible vantage point, but we learned that if we want to find perspective, learn something, and see more, then we should take the trail.

Small Opportunities Surround Us

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan
Once a week, I don a Stetson and a green blazer and I man an Airport Ambassador booth at Gate D-22 in the international terminal at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

The Bobcat Whisperer

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan
Since I went a few weeks without running, due to poison ivy and a 5,000-mile driving trip, it has taken a few days to resume my pace, and I have been walking more than running. This has not been a bad thing, since it has given me time to visit with people in the park.

Small Things with Great Love

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan

We received several comments, online and offline, on “The Angel in the Apartment Office.” I think that some people enjoyed reading it for the same reason that I enjoyed writing it — to me, the image was both powerful and subtle, striking in its ordinariness.

The Angel in the Apartment Office

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan
Forty years ago, a man was drafted at 19, sent to a jungle, sprayed with Agent Orange, and terrorized by sniper fire. Today, that brave young man, who served as an Army Ranger, is a dignified old man, who sometimes has trouble remembering his keys and his meds.

"You Must Get Bored, Sometimes."

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan
Sometimes, people assume that I must get bored, since I no longer have a full-time job, and that I must have trouble finding challenging, interesting, and rewarding things to do.

Afloat on an Ocean of Kindness

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan
For the past 30 years, I spent most of my time with the mayors and council members that I worked for and with the investment bankers and securities lawyers that I worked with.

The Importance of Everyday Encounters

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan

Over the holidays, two passengers on my VA route died. Another driver discovered one of them, and our coordinator reminded us that we are among the few people that our less mobile and more isolated passengers ever see.

In Praise of Small Talk

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan
The Desert Fathers sought silence and avoided chatter, and the Buddhists wrote about our chattering “monkey minds.” It is often more helpful to listen than to speak, but “small talk” has its place.

"I Talk to People All Day."

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan
Last week, a mutual friend introduced me to a disabled veteran who makes leather goods. Every day, he displays his handiwork at a small table in the cafeteria at the VA clinic.

My Daughter Wrote Me a Poem

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan

Our daughter, Lauren, is well known for her thoughtful “care packages,”  which she regularly sends to family and friends. Her packages are so personalized that if her husband, Bear, cannot guess the recipient by examining the contents, then she starts all over again.

Plenty of Problems or Problems of Plenty

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan
I was always a worrier, which was more helpful to me when we were raising kids and working for a living than it is now that we are retired.

You are the Only Person for the Job

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan
Every Tuesday, Jill and I volunteer at Cook Children’s Medical Center, playing with sick kids and their siblings in the Neurology and Orthopedics waiting room.  This week, my Lovely Wife had a conflict, so I went alone.

"I'm Glad You're Here."

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan
There is something pure and refreshing about giving my time, rather than selling my time, and more people thanked me in three months of volunteering than in 30 years of working.

The Realer World

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan

Some people stop living, figuratively or even literally, when they stop working. I think this is more likely when retirement is a surprise, due to a disability or a layoff. For me, there was no boredom and no sense of anxiety or loss or remorse.

We Have Met the Enemy, and He is Us

Jul 21, 2022 by Larry Jordan
After working for 30 years, we have retirement savings, but we do not have any income from annuities or disabilities or pensions or social security or unemployment.

Copyright © Larry Jordan.

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