The Weighty Question

© J. Francois Barnard – 2 August 2025

I had a terrible encounter with Britain’s biggest liar last night.

Back home in South Africa, I’ve spent years rehabilitating our bathroom scale. It was a difficult relationship at first — full of denial, emotional outbursts, and silent treatments — but after much counselling (and some selective recalibration), we reached an understanding. These days, it only tells truths I can live with. We were happy.

The Long, Short, and Tall of Narcissism

© J. Francois Barnard – 23 December 2024

I encountered narcissistic personality disorder early in my life but had no name for it. So, by the early 2000s, when my sister-in-law told me to google the topic, I was surprised, relieved, and intrigued. "So this is what has been going on all my life!" I had been battered and bruised by a narcissist, but suddenly, life handed me a handle on the situation, and I could manage it.

I made an in-depth study of this topic. I read about it in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), published by the American Psychiatric Association in 1994 and was amazed to see how accurate the description of the narcissist in my life was.

The Kiss

© J. Francois Barnard – 18 August 2024

She was beautiful — absolutely radiant in her vulnerability. I couldn't help myself. My hands instinctively cupped her face, and before I knew it, I kissed her — both to her surprise and my own.

Business in the Body

In the late 1990s, I wrote an article with this same title when I saw how business people and the church collaborated. I noticed myths and false perceptions about a dividing line between Christianity and Business that should not exist. As if Christianity is holy and Business is unholy. As if the ordained are “in the ministry” and the businesspeople are “secular”.

Nothing can be further from the truth.

The Two Jims

Jim woke at his usual time, around 5 am. He got dressed to go for his usual 5-kilometer walk. And as usual, he walked past Nette's room, now empty. He leaned against the doorframe and stared at the empty bed, neatly made.