Jim Stitzel
Jack-of-All-Trades, Master of WordsExcerpts from Life
Panic
Every day this week has been a battle. The panic I feel inside has been progressive, starting with mild anxiety on Monday and progressing steadily toward a panic attack that lasted all afternoon and into the evening Thursday. It's a battle with no winners, only a...
Challenges, and a Year to Remember
To say that 2020 has been a challenging year would be an understatement of epic proportions. The rise of COVID-19 has turned the year into one that no one is likely to forget anytime soon. It has upset the status quo of the entire world and left so many of us bereft...
Children at Play
I sit on a swing at the park, watching my children at play around me. They scurry and run and leap and climb during this first warm day we’ve had in several weeks. They’re loving the warm weather, as am I.
Fiction
The High Priestess
She is the queen of her temple, the holy guardian of her sacred sanctuary. She is dressed in scarlet satin and adorned with an array of finery befitting her station. The people come to her for guidance, and she is only too happy to provide. She consults with the stars...
The Magician
He stands upon the stage, waving his hands in the air, performing all sorts of magical illusions. But are they illusions in truth? Or is he creating actual magic out of thin air? His audience is rapt, oohing and ahhing at all the right places in his act. He pulls a...
The Fool
He is a wealthy man, dressed in tuxedos and $300 shoes, he sports a fancy watch on his wrist. He drives luxury sports cars and goes to the country club on weekends. He lives in the big city and makes decisions that will affect thousands of people who work under his...