All posts by Neil Ellis Orts

Dove flying in Lisbon, Portugal

Labels and Definitions and Who I Am

I recall a young woman, a class mate, in college. Despite the color of her skin, she was told by some other classmates that she was not black enough and should consider taking black lessons. “What does that mean, ‘black enough’?” she asked me. “I’m

Man praying in church

Counting Ambiguous Blessings

Douglas woke up from his nap in the easy chair but he kept his eyes closed, experiencing the memories of the chair, the smell, the worn armrests, the sunken seat, all of it. How many naps had he taken in this chair? How many books

Black male hands resting on an open Bible

Morality and Me

Morality is no small issue for me. I have often joked, and it is only a half joke, that I find guilt to be a great motivator and if not for guilt, I’d never get anything done. It is a joke, and an attitude, really,