The Useless Tree

Aidan

  • Book News: The China Digital Times Interview and the “Useless Tree” story

    Some of you may have already seen this, but I wanted to mention it here as well: Natalie Ornell, a writer for China Digital Times did an interview with me that is posted over at their site. Thanks for the… Continue reading

  • Birthday Thoughts

         Today is Aidan's birthday.       He would have been twenty-two.      As I think about his life, and what he gave to me, a passage from Zhuangzi comes to mind.  Without him, I would not have… Continue reading

  • Another Daoist Thanksgiving

    Been very busy of late, with little time to blog.  But here is one from the archives on my favorite holiday: It is a perfect Thanksgiving morning here [2005] in Northwestern Massachusetts: a light snow, about 2 inches on the… Continue reading

  • Twenty Years

    Today is Aidan's twentieth birthday.  His memory still animates my being, his presence, even in absence, a continuing creator of of my life's course.  It was Aidan who led me into ancient Chinese philosophy, especially an appreciation of Daoism, and… Continue reading

  • Remembering Aidan at Angkor Thom

    Today, March 19th, we went to Angkor Thom, one of the many temple complexes in and around Siem Reap.  Whlie there I lit an incense stick in memory of Aidan.  The Buddha watches over him.  Here is the spot:  … Continue reading

  • Those You’ve Known

    Today is Aidan's birthday.  His nineteenth birthday.  The day confronts me with my many selves, one of which is father of a disabled child and another of which is father of a child passed away.  The past infuses the present,… Continue reading

  • Big Questions Online

    A new e-zine, Big Questions Online, opened today and I have a piece there, The Tao of Aidan.   Thanks to Rod Dreher for the opportunity to tell my son's story again.  Continue reading

  • Thoughts on March 19th

    Three years ago today Aidan died. Passage 11 of the Daodejing is turning in my head today; Thirty spokes gathered at each hub:absence makes the cart work.A storage jar fashioned our of clay:absence makes the jar work.Door and windows cut… Continue reading

  • Happy New Year: Why I Write

    My mother used to say that you should do on New Year's Day those things you want to do for the whole year.  I did some of them today.  I walked the dogs with my wife.  I cooked (did an… Continue reading

  • Taoist Thanksgiving Thoughts

    Back in 2005, when this blog was only a few months old, I wrote a post, "A Taoist Thanksgiving," which I have returned to over the years.  It places my son, Aidan, who died two and a half years ago,… Continue reading