I never know what I’ll encounter during my morning walks. First thing after coffee, I walk. It is usually dark, except for near the summer solstice. The peace and solitude makes it a meditative experience, which is a nice way to start the day. Yesterday, a fox scurried across the street carrying a plastic-wrapped copy of the newspaper in its mouth.…
After I heard a presentation by Abigail Disney [yes, a member of that Disney family], I watched a documentary she produced. Pray the Devil Back to Hell tells the story of Christian and Muslim women of Liberia who collaborated across faith traditions to pray and protest. They obtained a meeting with Charles Taylor, a warlord who was elected President of…
These are hot times we live in, only partially attributable to soaring temperatures. If people disagree, it’s not just a difference of opinion, they react like it’s a personal affront, spewing venom, fury, and hatred towards perceived enemies. There is more incite than insight, generating heat and anger, but not warmth or light. Reading an…
Each year on July 4th, United States citizens celebrate independence. In 1776 in Philadelphia, the Second Continental Congress drafted and adopted a statement that we call the Declaration of Independence. The thirteen colonies announced liberation from British rule, forming what became the United States of America. But of course, you know that… The holiday inspired me…
We pay more attention to the charge level on our portable electronic devices than we do to our own energy levels. Businesses now accommodate our fondness for phone or laptop usage: Airports have charging stations. Some aircraft have electrical outlets. Coffee shops help us stay plugged in and wired. But, how do we recharge ourselves?…
Children naturally learn some things. A baby figures out crawling, eating, and talking while older children can learn to build block towers, complete puzzles, or ride bikes. Humans have an amazing drive and capacity to learn. Oscar Wilde astutely opined: “Education is an admirable thing,” although I disagree with his conclusion: “but it is well to remember ……
From the time they can talk, children ask a multitude of questions about the world and the people around them: Why is the sky blue? How can a tree grow from a seed? Are God and Santa Claus the same person? Around age 5, many parents hand off their children to schools for 12 years…
