Jay Payleitner Blog

Most mornings I sit down with my iPad and peruse the Chicago Tribune. Today, March 22, 2023, two stories on the same page in the “Arts & Living” section made me a little sad. […]

After writing more than a dozen books on family relationships, I confess I was a little out of my comfort zone when I signed this book contract. It turned out to be a […]

This is Finn, our almost 3-year-old grandson. This week he was in our “upstairs playroom” and I was reminded of a similar afternoon three years earlier. Finn’s older brother, Jackson, was in […]

Many of you know I wrestled back in high school. For the St. Charles Fighting Saints. At 152-pounds, I managed a winning record, but nothing spectacular. Here in 2023, that same team just sent […]

My junior year of high school, I was captain of the junior varsity (JV) wrestling team. Believe me, that is not impressive. By junior year, the goal is to crack […]

Twice I’ve had the chance to see Christian comedian Tim Hawkins on stage. He has a spectacular bit about “hand-raising in church.” As only he can, Tim describes the many styles of worship including […]

For Dads and anyone who knows a Dad: Tuesday after her city council meeting, Rita and I were in a pizza joint and the background music caught my attention. It […]

Imagine Simon of Cyrene. In Jerusalem for Passover, his mind is back home. He has been gone for weeks, and surely his boys Alex and Rufus are up to their […]

To Fathers of Boys: When you look at him, you see yourself. But in raw form. When he looks at you – if he’s around kindergarten age – he sees […]

Dear Husbands (and Wives too): One of my business cards is tucked into a corner of the mirror above Rita’s dresser in our bedroom. The printed side is facing the […]