I don't think ministering requires a religious context. The number one thing is that every parent is extremely worried about their kid. Of course, when a chaplain shows up, that can exacerbate this worry rather than calm it.

He loved the scratching of pencil against paper when he was focused: it meant something was happening.

You should see it. V for Vendetta I mean. "I'll look it up." No. With Me. At my house. Now

You could hold me and I could hold you. And it would be so peaceful. Completely peaceful. Like the feeling of sleep, but awake in it together.

I thought being an adult meant knowing what you believe, but that has not been my experience.

We gotta do something about this frigging swing set,' he said. 'I'm telling you, it's ninety percent of the problem.

And yet still I worried. I like being a person. I wanted to keep at it. Worry is yet another side effect of dying.