Category: Rich’s Ride

“I’d run through a brick wall for you.” It’s supposed to indicate commitment and enthusiasm, top-level motivation, a willingness to do the impossible. Kind of a silly image, though. Running into a brick wall, on purpose, is a waste of time and effort. It’s a token effort that accomplishes nothing, aside from possible brain damage. […]

I’ll always remember the day we snapped this photo. Our gathering on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial marked the conclusion of IJM Freedom Tour. Hugs and good-byes and pictures and tears…a bit like the last day of summer camp. We met the next day at the headquarters of International Justice Mission. A rare tour […]

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” I still remember the physics class. The professor demonstrated conclusively that light is a stream of particles, best understood by thinking about a bunch of tiny objects that can be counted one by one. Then – in the same class – he showed us that light isn’t […]

Once in a while I need to remember – maybe you do, too. On December 10, 1986, Elie Wiesel delivered one of the truly influential speeches in history. The occasion was his acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize. Wiesel looked back to himself as a small boy entering the Holocaust and asked, “Can this be true? […]

LeBron James built a school. The I PROMISE school opens today in LeBron’s hometown of Akron Ohio. The school fulfills a long-standing commitment to give hope to kids in a tough community and provide the resources they need to find their passion and change the world. LeBron is the best professional basketball player in the […]

I often write what I don’t fully understand. I talked a few days ago about shared sacrifice. a couple of conversations revealed that it was a cool-sounding phrase but I couldn’t explain what I meant when I used it. Turns out I believe sacrifice happens when someone steps beyond their comfort zone. Our tour is […]

“Why do you support kids halfway around the world?” Good question. Simple answer: when we started doing this we asked where we could help and were directed to Project Rescue and this specific HOME OF HOPE. So we said YES. “Why don’t you do something locally?” Good question, not quite so simple. So I dig […]

Are you building a wall or creating a circle? Walls exclude. The very purpose of a wall is division, creating us and them. Mostly a wall keeps “them” over there and offers “us” some illusion of exclusivity or safety. Walls are often about fear, of the others, of those who seem different…of “them.” A circle – […]

Thirty years is a long time, or it’s the blink of an eye. A few days after my injury I asked a doc for an honest prognosis. He said, “You’re 36 years old. You’ll probably make it to 40, but most likely not to 50.” Well, I wanted honest. I really didn’t mind his blunt […]