The act of transferring thoughts from the insubstantial vapor of our minds onto the real and tangible surface of a whiteboard sets into motion a mysterious cosmic power.
Category: <span>Essays</span>
Essays from Patrick Cumby
Here’s where I ramble on about stuff I care about.
Many years ago I had a friend and colleague named Doug who was smart, talented, courageous, and loyal. I once worked with him on an important consulting project for almost…
Jeanne and I were six months into a three-year around-the-world journey when we were both struck down by a mysterious illness. Self-quarantining in an AirBNB in Colombo, Sri Lanka, we…
Watching the not-so-peaceful transition of power here in the USA reminds me of our time in Arabia when the Sultan of Oman unexpectedly died. At the time of his death…
The boy eyes the window in the old brick tower, sees a glint of wholeness amidst surrounding shards. He has no knowledge of physics or geology or religion, but he knows the wonder of the day, the sunshine and the cool air pouring through the pines. The wonder of the perfectly sized rock in the ditch. The wonder of the last unbroken pane, all the way at the top.
The rock has realness, both smooth and jagged in his palm. It exists. It is quite obvious to the boy that every single instant of time stretching back to the moment of Creation has culminated in this rock. The tools of God—quantum forces, gravity, geologic processes spanning the ages—have conspired to create its perfect form, and place it here in the gravel road behind the cotton mill. All of history has occurred so that this rock might meet the last unbroken window and achieve its destiny.
Attending a writer’s conference is a wonderful way to connect with agents and editors, but pitching a novel in person can be a nerve-wracking experience. I recently attended two of the…
“I’m sorry sir, but there is a problem with your room and we will have to move you to another room,” says the heavily-accented voice on the phone. I look around the room. We’ve just arrived, and I can see no problems. Everything looks fine to me.
“What’s the problem?” I ask.
The man replies in a serious tone, “There will be a voice in your room.”
Unbeknownst to us, it turns out that very few Westerners come to Africa without booking through a tour company. Because Jeanne and I are arranging our own travel, nobody in…
Three things I’ve learned about Ethiopian coffee in my first day in-country: 1. Ethiopia is the home of coffee, and they take it seriously. The coffee beans are roasted over…
“Why would I ever go back to the UK?” one expat tells me as we sit on the front porch of her farmhouse and sip local tea. “After living here, it would be so boring.” Looking across the vast green landscape toward the bulk of Mt. Kenya rising into the clouds, I can see her point. After all, there are lions and elephants out there in the bush! The unexpected is the normal as the country serves up an array of opportunities and disappointments that only the chaos of a developing nation can offer.