Grace and Gratitude Prayer 21 October 2022 Louis Vincent Balbi AUDIO: Grace and Gratitude Prayer read by Louis Vincent Balbi Dear Lord, thank you for this meal which we are blessed to receive. As you feed our mortal flesh with food, fill our eternal spirit with your light so that we always serve the good […]
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Black Beauty Must Be Late Dedicated with best regards and gratitude to Anthony Mark LiCausi 12 October 2022 Louis Vincent Balbi AUDIO: Black Beauty Must Be Late read by Louis Vincent Balbi Driving to the library at a leisurely pace, a spit-and-polished black car suddenly pulls alongside me. I admire what little I can see of its stunning, black beauty. Then
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That’s Life 14 October 2022 Louis Vincent Balbi AUDIO: That’s Life read by Louis Vincent Balbi Driving home from the doctor’s — an endocrinologist — with better news about the hyperthis and the hyperthat than I feared I would get facing old-man troubles. I replay welcome words. “I’ll change this script then we’ll wait and see what the new tests tell us. Nothing to worry about
Stoics Survive 29 September 2022 Louis Vincent Balbi AUDIO: Stoics Survive read by Louis Vincent Balbi I once had a boss I foolishly trusted who often complimented me, impressed by my stoicism. I thanked him but wondered: How else is one whose thoughts are complex with imaginative insights and intense feelings to survive this life? We complemented each other or so I thought or was
Sleep, Be Not Death Written circa 1969-1977 and revised 5 September 2022 Louis Vincent Balbi AUDIO: Sleep, Be Not Death read by Louis Vincent Balbi When I was young, I could not sleep easily. I was afraid. I had heard talk of a pope or a bishop – some holy man – who died, “Thank the good Lord, peacefully, in his sleep,” which
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Come Forth For Paul Walter 1952-1975. Paul was stabbed in the back by thugs trying to steal his wallet. He was riding the New York subway home on February 18, 1975, after attending a meeting at Manhattan College on world hunger. Written circa 1975-1977 and revised 4 September 2022 Louis Vincent Balbi AUDIO: Come Forth
Thy Brother Is Thee circa 1977 Louis Vincent Balbi “Am I my brother’s keeper?” he asked me. “What else is as important?” I rejoined. Listening, I heard: “Much else,” spoken softly. He smiled as though the words had just been found. Laughing, I shouted swiftly with mirth my truth, and so doing: winged beauties took to flight. Once again he smiled
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Stop Me If You’ve Heard This Before 2 September 2022 Louis Vincent Balbi AUDIO: Stop Me If You’ve Heard This Before read by Louis Vincent Balbi A Gay, Lesbian, and Straight walk into a bar, have a drink and chat. The three of them dance to music that makes them cry. Heartbreak is human. By night’s end, they share stories,
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Miracle Marks on the Wall For Raquel 29 September 2021 Louis Vincent Balbi AUDIO: Miracle Marks on the Wall read by Louis Vincent Balbi Another hash mark on our family’s wall keeps count, commemorates another birthday. A day to decide whether to float meekly along on time’s current in silence or to holler like a newborn,
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My Uncle Primo Fiore, who died this month about three weeks shy of his 92nd birthday, was a man’s man. At one family get-together, when he was in his eighties, he shared a secret with me and my son, Adam, who asked his great-uncle what kept him so vigorous, robust, active, and full of life.
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