Sunday Talks

This week, I encountered a quote from poet-activist Wendell Berry: "We have lived our lives by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world.  We have been wrong.  We must change our lives so…

My friend Jenna and I were out for happy hour last week, catching up on an array of topics over fancy drinks and tempura avocado.  Whenever we get together, we cover a lot of ground, from the sacred to the…

I read a Washington Post article this week titled “How to Overcome Compassion Fatigue.”  Author David DeSteno writes about how taxing it becomes over time to remain awake and aware, the exhaustion of trying to stay informed and to care…

"Your soul doesn't need saving; it needs to be made visible." - Emma Curtis Hopkins Travis and I had a particularly enjoyable visit with my in-laws last week. They’re lovely people, fun and kind, and we are always interested in…

Last Sunday, in the reeling aftermath of our country’s latest mass shootings, I admitted that I worry and wonder about the relevance of what we’re doing in spiritual community. Sometimes, I wonder if we’re just trying to make ourselves feel…

“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”  - Elie Wiesel This statement is rallying, challenging, and perfect. It’s part of Wiesel’s 1986 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, in…

I’ve gotten a few reminders lately reminding me to “not take things so personally.” Grrr. Rarely do I respond positively to this suggestion, whether someone says it to me or even when it’s something that I’m trying to remind myself.…

Sometimes (I mean often) I’m a geek for etymology. If I get a word stuck in my head, which happens frequently, the way I start gnawing on it from every angle, mining it for every meaning, is almost compulsive. This…

I don’t know where I heard this metaphor about grief — that it’s like a ball in a box with a button inside. When loss is fresh and raw, it’s as if the ball and box are nearly the same…

I was reminded recently of Aristotle’s assertion that to extend trust is more valuable than to be trustworthy.  I’ve been thinking about it quite a bit, because I find it so darned provocative.  It was an especially unexpected and interesting…