A Long Way from Home

Books can do many things. They can inspire, share history, scare, thrill, inform- the list is long. As I look over the chapters on Iraq, Chiapas, Iran, Hezbollah, Zaire etc- I see the very real possibility that this book could become a new text for the International Society for Research on Impulsivity!

Impulsivity is defined as the “tendency to act on a whim, displaying behavior characterized by little or no forethought, reflection, or consideration of the consequences.”

I got that- I really do.

Personally, I’ve tried to measure some life situations- and some decisions- by this axiom; “What’s the worst thing that could happen?”

As of this writing, it’s been over 40 years since I had the privilege of working as a young chaplain at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department in Memphis, Tennessee. The Senior Chaplain was Rev. Jimmy Whitlock, a complicated amalgamation of faith and fury. Under his care, I spent my days in the jail, and my nights on the streets of Memphis.