This evening I caught a firefly outside my parents’ home in suburban Chicago. I saw my first firefly of the season last Thursday, June 22nd, which is a bit early for the season, but I could not catch it. Tonight I finally caught one and watched it glow. This has been a midsummer fascination of mine since I was a child, and it continues to delight me.
I tried to get a photo of the flash (which I sort of did). The problem is that fireflies tend to glow less often when you hold them, and they try to climb to the high point of your hand to fly away, so you have to keep curling your fingers around of knocking them gently back into your palm.
I took a photo of the firefly with the iPhone Live function, which lets you capture images over a period of time. I happened to get my wedding ring in the frame — perfect. I then let the firefly in the photograph go, and I tried with another. It would not glow for me and I think I may have hurt it by knocking it too hard into my palm.
I felt quite sad about that. I’m not a child; I should have the self-control not to harm a firefly. I don’t want to be too dramatic about it, but I felt I had injured a symbol of love by trying to use it, trying to make it conform to my own imagination. Real love is like that, too: it’s fragile and you have to respect that, while also letting it be what you want it to be.
This is the final edition of THE AGENDA -- finished a few days early!
This week's portion elucidates some of the first laws and principles of the Torah that follow the Ten Commandments, including -- a message particularly relevant to freed slaves -- the Jewish restrictions on indentured servitude.
God also provides the basic civil laws of Jewish society, governing almost every area of life -- in this one portion! -- as well as several basic principles of faith and religious observance. Moses then ascends Sinai for 40 days.
One of the laws God gives is the law against taunting a foreigner. This is different from allowing people to enter your land illegally; it is about showing respect, however, for people from other lands and other groups.
I am reminded of the importance of this principle because of the rhetoric lately attacking Elon Musk, a fellow South African-turned-American, for his foreign roots -- often by people who favor illegal immigration, ironically.
...
Since the Palisades Fire on January 7, my posts have been fairly sparse. I have just been so busy -- fighting the fire, covering the fire, helping neighbors, and launching a new podcast, "Three Homeless Guys," with two local friends.
Things are up and down. My family is still displaced, and we haven't resolved our living situation. We are awaiting answers from the insurance company (State Farm) on what they will cover, including alternative living expenses.
There are some incredible opportunities opening up -- more on that later -- and our kids are generally doing well, though this has been hard for them as well (especially the two middle kids, who miss their friends and their house).
The emotion of it all hit me yesterday. Today I feel wrung out. But I also feel that, in a way, going through the fire has been a process of refinement, of re-casting in a new mould, to face new challenges. And to win each new day.
So much to talk about, once again, as the Trump administration continues at breakneck pace. From DOGE chewing through the federal bureaucracy, to Marco Rubio heading out on his first missions for Trump, there's so much...
Special guests:
Assemblyman Carl DeMaio -- on the L.A. fires and reforming CA insurance
Matt Boyle -- Breitbart News political editor, on DOGE and confirmations
Jamie Paige -- founder of the Westside Current, on L.A. politics and the fires
Frances Martel -- Breitbart News foreign editor, on Rubio and Russia/Ukraine
Rob Hersov -- South African commentator, on SA's fight with the White House
Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 p.m. PT
Call in: 866-957-2874
