Thank you, Ray Bradbury.

Your stories still give me language and concepts for thinking about life.

I still quote “Boys, Raise Giant Mushrooms in Your Cellar” as a response to sales hype.

When my kids drive me crazy, I think of “The Veldt.”

When people embarrass themselves for attention, I think of “The Watchful Poker Chip of H. Matisse.”

When appliance lights in my house blink all night, I think of the story of the abandoned automated house in “There Will Come Soft Rains.”

And, almost daily in my work as a clergy person, I think of the story “The Man,” about a guy who misses the charismatic spiritual teacher by a few minutes…over and over again.