Twenty-two years ago, I stumbled into the house after a day of teaching and when my wife asked what was wrong, I collapsed onto the bed and tearfully let go of concealing the intense abdominal pain that had been building all day. After a few days of diagnoses and testing, they used a scope toContinue reading “Well, That Was Unexpected”
Category Archives: Concerned Human
Otherizing and Futilizing
Are you stuck “otherizing” and “futilizing?” Don’t know those words? They are words I’ve invented to mean the act of holding others distant and different resulting in a lack of empathy or concern (otherizing) and continuing to take no action believing one’s individual action cannot make a difference (futilizing). I was attending an MLK dayContinue reading “Otherizing and Futilizing”
What if We Had This Hope?
What if…What if the young woman did not fear an unknown attacker?What if the child did not fear the stranger?What if the teen did not fear their bullying peer?What if the black man did not fear the police?What if the Anishinaabe woman did not fear her abduction?What if the refugee did not fear those chargedContinue reading “What if We Had This Hope?”
Meanwhile…
I ended 2019 with a (slightly uncharacteristic) post with a positive tone–a simple poem titled blessings. Then I took a week off and tried not to get mired down in current events and enjoyed the return of my children to the nest for a couple weeks. Meanwhile…Monday morning I ready this headline in the NewContinue reading “Meanwhile…”
Blessings
Snow crunches beneath my feetand I think of you.I wonder where our livesconverged, diverged, got lostand found again.Crisp winter air fills my lungs and clearsmy head of thoughts of myselfand my worries.In the space freed of worry, I realizeI am blessed.Then, I think of you.Those who loved me into being,teaching me grace, mercy, empathy, andContinue reading “Blessings”
The Decline of Self-Governance
Further degradation of the concept of true self-governance by the continued destruction of free and fair elections will destroy what is left of a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Art has Superpowers
Have you seen the video of President Trump as Thanos released on the Trump campaign twitter account, @TrumpWarRoom? My first reaction was this was created by a team only after the simplest comparison between the two–he is powerful and victory is inevitable (disregarding Thanos is a villian so ultimately is defeated). But, actually, I fearContinue reading “Art has Superpowers”
Giving Thanks for Gifts From Mother Earth
We have a fractured relationship with Mother Earth. I hesitated writing “Mother” Earth because in so doing I acknowledge we are collectively engaged in an abusive relationship. If any children treated his or her mother as we treat Mother Earth it would be considered elder abuse and prosecutable. I also don’t relish going here, butContinue reading “Giving Thanks for Gifts From Mother Earth”
The Cost of Freedom
Veteran’s Day got me thinking about what divides us. Not the norm I know, but hear me out. If you watch the news and observe social media, it appears U.S. citizens are at each other’s throats—which of course some are, but that is not my daily experience. Instead, I find kind and decent folks whoContinue reading “The Cost of Freedom”
Ecological Citizenry
“Scientists have a moral obligation to clearly warn humanity of any catastrophic threat and to ‘tell it like it is.’ On the basis of this obligation and the graphical indicators presented below, we declare, with more than 11,000 scientist signatories from around the world, clearly and unequivocally that planet Earth is facing a climate emergency.”Continue reading “Ecological Citizenry”
