Since the strokes in my eyes in 2002, I’ve found that tears come pretty easily. However, I needed no such excuse when I first heard that Father Stan Janaites had died on Aug. 5. I cried again as I stood at his coffin in St. Joseph’s Church in Sykesville.

The old saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” is wrong. I’m learning all the time! Allow me to share two new insights about prayer.

My favorite definition of laughter is that it’s jogging for the intestines.

Beyond his immediate family, Johnny touched a much larger world. He consistently inspired friends and classmates. He said he just wanted to be normal, and so many people helped him to feel a part of normal life.