Dr. Howell’s Reflections
Everyday, Dr. Howell writes a reflection, inquiry prompt, and a prayer.
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Your Life Story Part 6
Oct. 30, 2024
The role of hope is essential to our story. Without hope, how do we get through the most challenging times? Without hope, how do we see the light at the end of our tunnels? If it were not for hope, why would we believe in anything?
Your Life Story Part 5
Oct. 29, 2024
Until I lost her when she was ninety-two, I regularly sat with my grandmother and asked questions about her life. She was born in 1892, so she had a wonderful perspective on life. She was raised in a farm family in Linn Crossing, Alabama. Bernice graduated from what is now the University of Montevallo. Her mother was a homemaker, and her father was a farmer and a county judge. She told me many things I would never have known about farm life during that part of history, like running down chickens, ringing their necks, and plucking them for Sunday dinner. She spoke of playing in the cornfields and learning from her mama how to cook her wonderful biscuits, cakes, and pies… yum.
Your Life Story Part 4
Oct. 27, 2024
Most siblings share genetics, parents, family, and the same essential environment. But brothers and sisters can give entirely different accounts of their growing-up years.
Your Life Story Part 3
Oct. 27, 2024
A Zen koan says, “What did your face look like before your parents were born?” That simple line is a lot to digest. It conveys the counter-intuitive thought that an original face preceded our current one. With that approach, believing that we existed before our physical birth is necessary. Such a thought supports the idea that we are, first and foremost, an invisible soul with its spiritual image.
Your Life Story Part 2
Oct. 26, 2024
We are never too old or young to look at our life's story. All of us have a story, even babies. Our stories do not have to be glamorous or intriguing — ground-breaking, fascinating, or beautiful. After all, they are not lived to please an audience or receive a book review. The most important people who derive meaning from our lives are ourselves.
Your Life Story Part 1
Oct. 25, 2024
If you read the story of your life, would it be like a screenplay? Or would it be a running commentary? Perhaps it would be like a fairy tale or an epic. Maybe it would be a narrative or a loosely connected string of experiences. Does it have a plot, central meaning, or repeated themes? Do you ever think about your life's unfolding story? If so, do you reflect on its unique meaning, its way of portraying the world, and the lessons you learn along the way?