Primer on Questions – Part 2 of 6: When?

The home of Uncommon Sense: Providing Clarity, Promoting Intelligence
Primer on Questions – Part 2 of 6: When?
Once we have asked “What,” another question inevitably follows: When. If “What” questions clarify reality, “When” questions bring awareness to timing. They ask us to consider sequence, readiness, and the unfolding nature of events. In many ways, they are questions about the rhythm of life itself. We live in a culture that prizes urgency. Action […]
Primer on Questions – Part 1 of 6: What?
Before any meaningful understanding begins, a question must be asked. Not merely any question, but the right one. Human life unfolds in response to inquiry. What we notice, what we pursue, what we ultimately become is profoundly shaped by the questions that occupy our minds. A careless question can lead us into years of confusion. […]
Extending Grace in an Unguarded Moment
Back in December, my daughter and I attended AmericaFest, the four-day patriotic gathering organized by Turning Point USA, founded by the late Charlie Kirk. It was a high-energy event—policy, patriotism, cultural commentary, and the unmistakable electricity of people who believe ideas matter. But the most powerful moment I witnessed had nothing to do with applause […]
The Unlikelihood of the David and Goliath Story
History often compresses courage into a single moment. We remember the stone that struck Goliath’s forehead, but we forget the claws, the fangs, and the nights in the wilderness that came first. David did not discover bravery on the battlefield; he carried it there, forged earlier in encounters no one was watching. Let’s dig deeper […]
The Tyranny of the Obvious
One of the great limitations of the human mind is not ignorance. It is intuition. We tend to think of intuition as wisdom’s close cousin—something ancient, refined, even noble. “Trust your gut,” we are told. And often, that advice works just well enough to keep us believing it always will. But intuition has a darker […]
Students Who Agree and Disagree
In terms of my professional life, I’ve always seen myself as a “teacher” first and foremost. About 18 years into my career I found myself in a formal teaching role when a local community college hired me to join their adjunct faculty. Most of my “teaching” prior to that time had been in the corporate […]
Sociopath vs. Psychopath: A Useful Distinction
In everyday conversation, sociopath and psychopath are often used interchangeably—usually to describe someone who behaves badly, selfishly, or cruelly. In psychology, however, these terms refer to distinct patterns of personality and behavior. Understanding the difference matters, not only for accuracy, but to avoid carelessly mislabeling difficult or unconventional people. Both sociopathy and psychopathy fall under […]
Deadly Snakes
One of the most entertaining movies I remember from an earlier era was Raiders of the Lost Ark which hit the theaters in 1981. It was a fun movie with actor Harrison Ford as “Indiana Jones” (AKA Professor Henry Walton Jones, Jr.) If you recall the film, perhaps you can recall that in spite of […]
On Grieving
“And now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, . . . […]
The Reluctant Warrior
There is a passage found in an ancient sacred text (The Book of Mormon) which is at once fascinating and disquieting. The passage is a statement by a Hebrew prophet of God who had lived in the area around Jerusalem in the days of the biblical prophet Jeremiah, around 600 BC. This prophet I have […]