Author Archives: waynematthysse45@gmail.com

I haven’t thought about self-fulfilling prophecies for some time now, even though I have had my suspicions that many of the major experiences in my life could have come about because I thought about them beforehand. A good example of … Continue reading →

From childhood magic to religious belief and finally to lived compassion, this reflection asks a simple question: what remains when illusion falls away—and love stays? When I was a child, I loved watching magic shows on television. The idea that … Continue reading →

While sorting through old boxes of memorabilia, I was struck by how easily forgotten moments can still shape who we become. Reading old letters and names from my childhood reopened memories that helped explain some of my long-held attitudes. One … Continue reading →

We were spending the weekend in Philadelphia at an apartment we rented with profits from drug sales. We had become the main suppliers for the Bethesda Naval Hospital and earned a good reputation because we never sold a bad product. … Continue reading →

I would not classify myself as a coward. At times in my life, I have acted bravely in the face of danger. Most men—and increasingly more women—wonder, as I did in my youth, how they would respond under the fire … Continue reading →

Many years ago, I worked as a counselor at a youth center in the southwestern part of the United States. Most of my clients were of Native American or Hispanic ethnicity and were referred to me by the police. Occasionally, … Continue reading →