Root Systems
Complexity exists just beneath the surface of simplicity. The trick is to let simplicity work to guide you through the path of complexity. “He told me about oak trees; how when one of their number was under stress they would share nutrients via their root systems.” — Robert Macfarlane, The Wild Places, Pg. 264 (Penguin […]
The Healing Power of Dogs
Dogs have a special bond with humans that transcends the physical. Multifaceted, involving both the physical and spiritual, the bond between this small being and humans can best be described as supernatural. When a dog dies, that bond is broken––and like any other traumatic disruption, the break can be upsetting on a much deeper level […]
Walls and Windows
Dense, crowded with facts and rules, appellate decisions at times have hidden meanings. What those meanings imply––well, that’s the task of interpretation. At face value a sentence or paragraph may seem relatively simple. But what lurks beyond? “For all the great texts have esoteric significance, he believed and taught…” writes Saul Bellow in Ravelstein. Ascertaining […]
Who’s There
The cross–examiner strives for a simple signpost to guide the way. In the welter and chaos of words and counter–words, of branches and leaves, how to carve out a clear path forward? In a multilayered case, complexity can seem to render reality inexplicable, impenetrable. Thus, the search for that one short phrase which encapsulates the […]
