Jonathan Carroll's Blog, page 3

Introduction to

Introduction to BATHING THELION

I’ve been writing for over thirty years and discovered something interesting along the way: some books you like to write, some you don’t. Some become really good friends who you’re happy to see every day because they’re great company—funny, smart, generous (they always pay for drinks), insightful…

In contrast, some quickly become enemies, villains, miscreants, pains in the ass, brats, girlfriends from hell… you name it. Writing them is like having a bug...

Small Magic

Magic is not necessarily a big thing. A delicious morning coffee with someone you care about, aware and grateful for that moment all the time it’s happening, is as wonder full as a rabbit out of a hat, if you’re willing to see it that way. Magic does not have to be in capital letters to bemagical.

Small Magic was originally published in Jonathan Carroll on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Just

just because you’re rich doesn’t mean you’re smart
just because you’re smart doesn’t mean you’re wise
just because you’re wise doesn’t mean you’re infallible
just because you’re infallible doesn’t mean you’re just
just because you’re just doesn’t mean you’re kind
just because you’re kind… is usuallyenough.

Just was originally published in Jonathan Carroll on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Carry on

It’s incredible how portable love can sometimes be. How light and easy it is to take all of it along when you leave. At baggage check in point to it and tell them “I only have this carry on,” and at customs you can honestly say “I have nothing to declare.”

from something new

Carry on was originally published in Jonathan Carroll on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

What I Found in the Dark

Let me set the scene: Six o’clock on a cold December Tuesday morning. Pitch black outside. The sun won’t be up for another hour. I take the dog out for a walk in the park across the street. Except for a few overhead lights here and there, the park is very dark and empty. Not even a homeless person or two sleeping on benches because of the cold. A few minutes later I see something odd: a large red candle burning on top of a stone wall. What’s that? Who would keep a candle burning here at this...

Smudge Me

You know how eyeglasses get magically dirty without anything seemingly causing it? One minute everything is crystal clear. But take them off for a few minutes and when they’re back on they’re greasy grimy filmy… for no apparent reason at all. So too with some relationships. Everything will be going along perfectly. Then for no good rational or even irrational reason, things between you two turn cloudy,smudged.

At least with glasses you can wipe the smudge away with a clean cloth. In...

What we Treasure

After a very cold night, I’m up early to walk the dog. In the doorway of one building is a homeless man sleeping sitting up, wrapped in several blankets. Gathered around him is his small collection of possessions: food and drink packages, several bulging plastic bags filled with mysterious things, a dirty sweater which for some reason he is not wearing. I take this all in with a glance while passing. But what jolts me is the light blue balloon he has cradled in his arms, as if it were a child...

A Stained Wedding

Years ago a friend told me a story I haven’t forgotten. I’ve wanted to include a version in something I wrote but could never find a place for it. So here it is.

An old woman had been a widow for many years. Her adult children all lived in the same town. She and her husband had raised the kids in a large beautiful apartment she continued living in long after he had gone. But as she grew older the large place became a burden. She gave it to one of her children who had several children of their...

Her Climate Change

Eventually her climate changed towards him. At first he tried to adapt to these new conditions and watch out for potential trouble areas inside her. But like a weather man reporting from the edge of a growing storm, her changes started coming so fast, unpredictably and with such force that in the end his only option was first to look for shelter and finally to flee.

Her Climate Change was originally published in Jonathan Carroll on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highli...

Snapshot of the Day

A middle aged couple walking towards me are wearing matching t-shirts. Hers says ‘He’s my Romeo’ with an arrow pointing. His says “She’s my Juliet” with an arrow pointing. Unfortunately the arrows on both shirts are pointing in the wrong direction. Passing them, I have a momentary rush to take both by the arms and make them trade places so their arrows fit.

Snapshot of the Day was originally published in Jonathan Carroll on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting a...