In this follow-up to Different Seasons, Dale Turner, a retired Congregational pastor, has gathered together more than 60 pieces from his column in the Seattle Times. In one of them, he observes: "One of God's great gifts — perhaps the greatest gift to each of us — is being born into an unfinished world and given a share with God in creation." Turner has a flare for matching just the right quotation with the theme of his topic. And we learn that he is an inveterate marker of books — harvesting thought-piece gems. "Books are living things to me, companions sharing the deepest thoughts and feelings."

We are all the beneficiaries of Turner's quest for meaning. In this volume, you will find edifying approaches to forgiveness, listening, openness, humility, enthusiasm, laughter, and love. And the author's own knack for turning a fine phrase is evident throughout these columns. Here are two examples. "Father Time is a tailor specializing in alterations." And, "As a tree is fertilized by its own broken branches and fallen leaves, so great souls use their own failures and convert them to useful ends."

Try a Spiritual Practice on Forgiveness