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Up From the Mud
It’s encouraging to know that despite all our faults and limitations, despite our many blunders and failures, we have the potential to rise above them all. This is the message of the ...

Paul Cotter
Jul 152 min read


Symbiosis
The most damaging relationships occur when both sides set out to destroy each other. At the other end of the spectrum, ideal relationships develop when ...

Paul Cotter
Jun 301 min read


The Great Mystery
Some mysteries are deeper than we can fully fathom. But certain cultures believe there’s a way of thinking that can help us plumb the depths of understanding ...

Paul Cotter
Jun 242 min read


The Savage Arena
At first glance, we thought it was an owl. Through a window, we saw the dark shape of a large bird sitting in a tree with a commanding view of ...

Paul Cotter
May 202 min read


The Vertiginous Current
When we dip our toes into the water of any serious pursuit, a transformation takes place. The very act of searching causes a ...

Paul Cotter
Apr 292 min read


It's Not All Black and White
When people hear that I’m a photographer, they sometimes ask: Are you a black and white photographer or a color photographer? The question puzzles me ...

Paul Cotter
Apr 222 min read


The Tapestry of Life
For my birthday, I asked for and received one of the most unusual gifts you could imagine ...

Paul Cotter
Apr 82 min read


The Ripples
In a college writing course, we were given an assignment that would open my eyes to a world that was centuries old, yet surprisingly new to me ...

Paul Cotter
Mar 112 min read


Intersecting Lines
How fortunate we are when our life path intersects with the path of someone we were destined to meet. When that happens ...

Paul Cotter
Feb 182 min read


One Single Cell
Your body is home for 30 to 40 trillion cells. And here’s a sobering fact about them: If just one of those cells goes rogue ...

Paul Cotter
Feb 41 min read


Frozen Splendor
Like much of the U.S., Charlotte was blasted by a winter storm this past weekend. National forecasters warned that our city would be one of 12 hit the hardest ...

Paul Cotter
Jan 282 min read


Thanksgiving Thoughts
This Thanksgiving season, let’s take a moment to appreciate all of the things that bring light into our lives. Being grateful doesn’t mean that everything is perfect ...

Paul Cotter
Nov 24, 20252 min read


The Shape of Time
Long ago, a work colleague asked me an interesting question: “When you think about time, how do you picture it?” Without hesitating, I said ...

Paul Cotter
Nov 12, 20252 min read


The Fallen
In some parts of the world, this weekend is a time to remember our loved ones who have gone before us. We recall the things that made them special … the things they taught us … the love they brought to our lives. Remembering them can be painful because we’re reminded of all we’ve lost. But remembering can be joyful, too, because we’re reminded of everything we've gained by sharing our life’s path with them. In Mexico, they emphasize the joyful aspect of remembering. Inste

Paul Cotter
Oct 29, 20251 min read


Forest for the Trees
Some challenges in life are easy to solve – but others can leave us scratching our heads looking for a workable solution. Take this tree, for example. The lone tree caught my eye with its vibrant patches of orange and yellow mixed with all the leaves that still remained green. I’m a sucker for fall foliage, and I thought this colorful tree in transition might make for an interesting photograph. But as I've seen many times before, what catches our eye and what works well a

Paul Cotter
Oct 20, 20252 min read


Acceptance
When the sun sets in Naples, Florida, it’s something of a sacred ritual. Crowds of locals and tourists head to the beach with chairs and...

Paul Cotter
Sep 25, 20252 min read


Renewal
When a candle has been lit for too long, it exhausts itself and eventually burns out. That’s how Bonnie and I have been feeling: so many...

Paul Cotter
Sep 17, 20252 min read


Familiar Things New
It was right in front of me the whole time, but I didn't see it. Or, to put it more accurately, I'd been seeing it every day for so long...

Paul Cotter
May 21, 20252 min read


Roots
They descended from the tree like muscular legs anchored in the soil. In the sinewy shapes of these roots, I saw angels and mermaids and...

Paul Cotter
May 15, 20251 min read


Infinity Understood
My father-in-law John Lettieri was not a rich man. After serving with the Marines in World War II, he worked three jobs to make ends meet...

Paul Cotter
May 1, 20252 min read
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