This couple in their mid-thirties invited me to dine with them recently. He is a self-trained chef. The meal was awesome: pork tenderloin baked with Dijon mustard, apples, and onions wrapped in bacon. Fresh veggies baked together to just the right: bell pepper, onion, garlic, asparagus, and broccoli. Then there were the garlic-butter biscuits. Scrumptious!

I don’t believe in gravity. If I say this, does that make it true? Does it nullify the law of gravity? Suppose I jump off the Empire State Building. On the way down, all is going well. There’s a great view and a cool breeze. See there, I don’t believe in gravity and life is good. About 50 floors down, someone sticks her head out a window and asks, “How’s it going?” I answer, “Great so far!”

During the recent football season, television producers repeatedly showed coaches calling in a play to the quarterback. The quarterback calls the play in the huddle and the eleven men line up for the snap. Someone goes left instead of right. The ball spurts out and hits the ground. It’s a coach’s nightmare. The other team gets the ball. Turnovers often predict who wins and loses the game.

Gilligan’s Island was one of my favorite comedies growing up. But being on an island of grief is no comedy. Going through a tough time? Me too. The loss of a loved one to suicide recently has made my family dizzy with emotions. How do we find comfort in such a time?