Jim Stitzel
Jack-of-All-Trades, Master of WordsExcerpts from Life
A Brief Reflection on Being an Atheist
I’ve been an atheist for probably 15 or more years now. Quietly. Secretly. Covertly. For most of that time, I kept quiet about my unbelief because I was still immersed in a Christian culture. I was married to a Christian woman. We went to church every Sunday. My...
This Moment
Flying down a back county road, the sun on my right but also just ahead because it's shining through both the passenger window and the top, right corner of the windshield. The light is not quite in my eyes, but it will be the moment I take a turn that puts me more...
I’m Tired. And Angry. And Just… All the Feelings.
So, there are a number of things that have all happened in the last few days that have led to some tumultuous feelings and an overall impact on my mental health. 1. Charlie Kirk’s death and all the subsequent political fallout that it has caused and is continuing to...
Fiction
Pain
The lingering pain. It's all I can think about. It dwells in my consciousness like an open wound, even though there is no injury to be found. It's like fire in my flesh, a deep, crippling fury that makes me lose my sanity at times. I never should have made a deal with...
Portal
My toilet bowl is a portal to another dimension. Ask me how I know this. Great! I'm glad you asked. You know how I know it's a portal? It swirls when I flush it, and I'm not just talking about the water. That swirls, too. No, when I flush, there is purple and lavender...
Wind Chimes
They dangle from the eaves and make beautiful music in the wind. Long, slender bits of metal jangling against each other. They are tied to the bottom of a dreamcatcher, twirling and dancing and spinning. And the music they produce -- such a thing has never been heard....