Understanding we are Worthy, Capable, Connected, and Called to Adventure for a more Joyful and Resilient Life
Today I refuse to believe . . . That our differences destroy us, That conspiracy is our destiny, Or that transcendence is gone, And that dialogue is dead, That vindictiveness is King, Or that creativity is poisoned, And that solutions are passe, That Bitterness is our name. Or that it’s us or them, And that… Continue reading Today I Refuse: A Poem
I want to write about why I am a Christian but not a Christian nationalist. First, I want to beg pardon of all my non-Christian and non-religious readers. This blog post will certainly have a lot of Christianity and spirituality in it. I still hope you find something valuable in the post. So, let me… Continue reading Why I am a Christian but Not a Christian Nationalist
Are we perfect just the way we are? If you are anything like me, you will occasionally read a meme on social media or hear a song that communicates that all of us are perfect just the way we are. And if you are also anything like me, you may have rolled your eyes in… Continue reading Are We Perfect Just the Way We are?
Can play make us whole? Friedrich Schiller thought so. Schiller wrote the book On the Aesthetic Education of Man in the 1700s. And his argument is that play makes us whole as humans. This is perhaps an unusual claim, but his ideas are surprisingly relevant to us today. Here’s a bit of context on Schiller’s… Continue reading Friedrich Schiller on Why Play Makes Us Whole
Dear Friend: Do you find yourself struggling with your sense of self-worth today? You might have had a rough weekend, or you might be generally going through a hard time. You might feel like a failure, or like you are stuck. And you might be really struggling with a sense of your overall worth. I… Continue reading Monday Encouragement: If You Struggle with Self-Worth
About four years ago, I let my hair go silver, and I have come to view this process as a spiritual practice. This may sound like an odd claim, so let me give you some context. Two summers in graduate school, I had the privilege of teaching Asian philosophy. And one of the books we… Continue reading Silver Hair as a Spiritual Practice
Acting with reason and respect is the best way to live your life. That claim seems sensible enough, doesn’t it? After all, very few people consciously intend to live in a unreasonable and disrespectful manner. Most of us recognize that living according to reason and respect is a wise way to live. Fair enough. But… Continue reading Why Acting with Reason and Respect is Wise and Rare
A few months ago, I watched Spike Lee’s movie BlacKkKlansman. And I’ve wanted to write about it ever since. But first let give you some related context. When I was in college, I spent a semester student teaching in Guatemala City, Guatemala. While I was there, I took a Spanish class with a lovely Guatemalan… Continue reading A Reflection on Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman
Social justice is one of those phrases I often hear people debating in the news and in other social spaces. And what is interesting about such debates is that people tend to be unclear about what they mean by social justice. This is often true, whether folks are for it or against it. Picture by… Continue reading Why Social Justice Matters for Everyone, According to a Really Cool Nun
People often misunderstand something about goodness. In Plato’s Republic, Plato portrays Socrates discussing goodness with some of his friends and acquaintances. The word for goodness in the Republic is dikaisoune (δικαισύνη). Now, the English language doesn’t have an exact translation for the word dikaisoune. In the Greek it means something like all of these ideas… Continue reading Socrates on What People Misunderstand about Goodness