Author Archives: Mark J. Hahn

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About Mark J. Hahn

“What we have to be is what we are.” ― Thomas Merton

Almost made it.

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Daily writing prompt
Share what you know about the year you were born.
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Sad to say I wasn’t really attuned to some of these historical events, brought your way by 1959. Even sadder that I when I “asked”, someone with the moniler of A.I. answered. Alas…

Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and 50th states.

Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba.

NASA was born, Explorer 6 circled the earth while Russia’s Luna 2 impacted the moon and primates Miss Able and Miss Baker survived orbiting the earth.

Barbie was born.

“Some Like it Hot”, “North by Northwest” and “Ben-Hur” filled movie screens and “A Raisin in the Sun” glowed on Broadway.

Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper started performing in heaven.

Richard debated Nikita on consumerism in a kitchen.

Personally, I couldn’t share anything that happened the year I was born in Bethesda. Mom and dad lived there as part of his residency experience.

Two years later my brother was born and we returned to our roots as “FIB’s”, commencing a life long struggle with those of the green and gold. A contentious tit for tat that might have finally turned a corner. Well, maybe allowed us to flip on the blinker. Sheesh.

All I know is that somehow I am sitting here in a kitchen, watching the sun come up, accompanied by a cup of Joe, sharing some nonsense with all of you. I know that Christmas is upon us, so I withheld puns and Dad jokes. You don’t deserve that coal in your stockings today.

But pretty surreal how things turn out, isn’t it. Who would have thunk.

If I get too wrapped up in things tomorrow, I wish you all a blessed and Merry Christmas.

Sorry.

Almost made it.

Perhaps your example will help.

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Daily writing prompt
Are you a good judge of character?
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Now there is a sticky wicket.

Having spent too much of my life in the judgemental department, I guess at this point I would defer to, “am I aware when character is present?”

If I see things with that set of eyes and feel it with a true heart, then I sense the presence of character. My current reclamation project is still underway, creeping up to the same time frame as the road work being conducted on I94 for the past millennia. Though they are actually laying new concrete, that road grinder is still at work on me. A few more layers to go is my estimation. But I digress….

When you find yourself in the company of character, it acts as a magnet towards your soul. Filling a need that has just escaped one. Showing you how it is done. So you can see it in action. Emulate. And make it like your own.

Conversely, when you encounter the opposite pole, you should feel a push away. That is, if your positive and negative are in the correct orientation. Again, gives you a sense of what is not only lacking, but more importantly, what is not needed. What has the potential to do harm. A road that can become well travelled if you are not careful.

As time passes, lets just say I am more aware.

There are things mine still lacks.

Perhaps your example will help.

That too makes me most happy.

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Daily writing prompt
When are you most happy?
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Had I been able to get to this earlier today would have made me most happy. But Christmas supply chain logistics came into play, and too many KPI’s we’re hanging in the balance for this Santa. But I digress…

Hearing my granddaughter in stitches when I use”wonky” at random and then ad infinitum.

Watching my grandson roll over for the first time and then continue on all the way across the room.

Seeing our OL block through all three levels and then run the field to gather in the endzone with their teammate after they blocked a path for him to score a touchdown.

Seeing tomatoes redden in the garden.

Watching a gazania open at sunrise and close at sunset.

Shoveling the driveway as it snows.

Singing a completely and intentionally tone deaf version of “happy birthday” to my kids, on their day, and leaving it on voicemail.

Making tomato soup and grilled cheese sammiches for dinner.

Watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” for the umpteenzillionth time.

My best friend’s dimples and smile.

More to come I am sure.

But because of these prompts, I have been able to share with all of you.

That too makes me most happy.

It was fun!

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Daily writing prompt
What was the last thing you did for play or fun?
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I would have to think of what I did before responding to this prompt.

To me, for play or fun, aren’t things specifically set aside as such. I need to find my way back to PF for the playtime there on the bike and weight machines. It is fun to coach basketball for Special Olympics, and following the holidays, I can wind my way back to take in some off-season lifting sessions with the T-wolves as they prepare for the ’26 campaign.

Christmas shopping is fun to me. When the bills come due, it can be an altogether different and harrowing experience. But the joy in it outweighs the short term debt.

I guess when it comes to play time or fun, I don’t necessarily stipulate and cordon them off as such. Too much anticipation and expectation if you ask me. If anything goes south, in the least bit, then what was the point? Those are not boundaries I want to instill or live by.

Play time can be shooting the breeze getting coffee or at the checkout picking up your five favorite grocery items. (Oops! forgot that one yesterday.) Fun is calling an old buddy, connecting with the kids. Watching the finches hop around the seed left on the ground and watching Mr. Squirrel trying to figure out how to access the suet now that it has been moved to a bird only access point.

So play and fun are to be had everywhere and all of the time. If you can be open to letting things be and finding it in every available moment.

Thanks for the opportunity to play around with some thoughts, words, punctuation and sentences today!

It was fun!

His focus.

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The various fonts of my ongoing amateur authorship affinity has carried with them a number of different monikers. Most of which were football or coaching affiliated and oriented.

One, once began some time ago, “…a temporary assignment” was somewhat a center of my attention, evocative of that moment in my life. A period of an altogether different level of processing and being. Unaware, or perhaps more honestly unprepared for the feces that would soon hit the fan. Directed for the most part by my inept, irrational and mostly intentional thoughts, words and actions.

So much for leading by example. But I digress….

As of late, things have been brought into focus. Not back into, for that would imply the way things were then needed to be better seen so as to promote my immediate return to them. I would hazard to say that focus has never been one of my strong suits. Well, perhaps it appeared as such, albeit superficially.

Perhaps.

Maybe that remains to be seen.

Of late, things are different. Largely because the direction of my gaze has changed. No longer am I trying to re-see where I was currently looking. Mostly behind. I think I better understand its relevance to this moment, but it no longer rules the day. Same can be said for what may or may not lay ahead. Though we may think other wise, there isn’t much say in that department.

Which this morning led me to better grasp “….my temporary assignment.” No where close to the first or second iteration. Hopefully what is said about the third time has merit and veracity.

Today is what I have. And what I choose to do with it is an assignment of the utmost importance. Tasks that have been granted by a grace freely given. Delivered by the thoughts now received, the words readily heard and the actions witnessed.

Nothing to do with bringing things back into focus. Just being able to finally really see.

His focus.