A friend posted the following on Facebook: "My father was a racist, a bigot, a Texas conservative and many other things. It taught me that humans can choose to change and be happy with the results that wind up providing paths forward into the future. I am proof that making difficult choices may cost all, except integrity and peace of mind. I live with those… quite nicely." I replied: "Life provides opportunities to learn important lessons, though sometimes the circumstances c

I chose the picture above to pay tribute to Marshal Rosenberg, who formulated Nonviolent Communication and revealed to me how the language (vocabulary) I use brings violence to my life. He gave me a way to find peace within myself and with others by changing the words in my head and in my speech. When talking politics, the word "fight" appears in just about every conversation and every online post. What sense does it make to say, "Fight for justice, fairness, equal rights or

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Do you find yourself dreaming of a pain-free happy life? Are you avoiding facing your challenges? Are you living the ideal lifestyle but feeling anxious or even ill? In his book Spiritual Bypassing, Robert Augustus Masters describes spiritual bypassing as "the use of spiritual beliefs to avoid dealing with painful feelings, unresolved wounds, and developmental needs. The spiritual ideals of any tradition, whether Christian commandments or Buddhist precepts, can provide easy j

I used to ride an electric-powered trolley like the one pictured above to and from Callanan Junior High School in Des Moines. I developed a certain fondness for those public conveyances because they didn't spew diesel fumes on me as they pulled away. I even enjoyed watching the driver put the connectors back on the cables when they came off. I mourn their passing and celebrate the joy they brought to my life. I am reminded today that mourning and celebrating losses are two as