Start Here

Come in, and sit a while. You are welcome here.

This is a book being written one evening at a time — a gathering of quotes, scripture, stories, and counsel that I am setting down for my children and grandchildren, and for anyone who cares to pull up a chair. Each entry begins with a few borrowed words worth keeping, and then we sit with them together for a while.

Who is speaking

My name is Richard Olsen. I spent a working life in medicine, at the bedsides of people in their bravest and most honest hours, and much of what I believe was learned there. What I write here I write as a father and a grandfather — plainly, and from the heart.

The four rooms

  • The Hearth — tonight’s entry — the newest daily reflection.
  • The Chapel — reflections, hymns, lessons, and things meant for Sunday quiet.
  • The Studio — poems and songs, some finished, some still taking shape.
  • The Gallery — photographs and artwork, with the stories behind them.

Where to begin

There is no wrong door. You might:

Begin walking the path →

EX LIBRISThe Olsen FamilyCOME SIT A WHILE · OLSENUT.COM