"The minute you're born they make you feel small, by giving you no time instead of it all" (John Lennon)

Time is our most precious commodity - we never seem to have enough and we always wish we had more. And as Lennon notes, when someone gives you their...

I heard on the radio last week that the genocide in Darfur has been going on for five years, 200,000 people have died and 2 million people have been displaced because of it.

How do we stop mass genocide, war, and the pain and suffering afflicting so many throughout...

We have so many dimensions to 'who we are' that it takes more than one lifetime to discover them (by that I mean that our children, grandchildren, etc. carry genes and culture we 'pass down'). Thoreau said, "Direct your eyesight inward and you will find a 1,000 regions in your...

I have a friend who recently divorced and is now dating a much younger man. She seems to be having lots of fun in her 'new life' after 20 or so years of marriage. Having been married 34 years, I believe that having fun is a key to a happy...

My husband often says, "You can't be perfect yesterday, but you can be better tomorrow" when he is discussing the challenges we all face in improving our relationship with the planet. Whether you drive a hybrid, are vegetarian, consistently recycle, conserve electricity, use solar power, etc. today does not mean...

In the wake of the natural disasters in Myanmar, China, and the U.S., many of us wonder, what can we do to help others? Not to minimize giving directly to help those in need in the face of a natural disaster such as these (i.e. send money, clothing, or give...

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." -William Shakespeare

I've been thinking a lot about words lately and how they shape our lives, often with little conscious attention directed toward them. My thoughts came in the aftermath of...

Last Sunday, I saw a report on the CBS Sunday morning news about a soldier (two duties in Iraq) being discriminated against in the U.S. military because of his 'atheist' belief. This story is another reflection of what seems to be a growing elevation of religion into so many aspects...

Our oldest son recently graduated from college and has been trying to figure out 'what's next' in life. It has been a source of painful reminders of how uncertain we are at various stages of life, how little we believe we know, and how unsure we are of our own...

I recently returned from Clark University in Worchester, Mass where my daughter is considering attending college. They have a concentration in the undergraduate program in 'Peace Studies', one of a handful of programs growing in universities and colleges around the country. How interesting to eventually 'major' or 'minor' in Peace...

When I was 5, I could fly. That was an age when I soared in a boundless, timeless openness. I experienced infinity on my stairwell with the tiled linoleum as I flew back and forth, up and down the stairs, in a small house, in a small town, in Indiana...

I saw Tracy Ullman's new show, State of the Union, where Tracy even became Arianna Huffington for a few minutes. What I love about this show is Tracy's capacity to morph into another human being and become that person.

If ever there was a show that might encourage...

As our youngest child gets ready to graduate from high school, the daily ups and downs of this year, including the college process, graduation plans, and her gradual separation from us, loom large. The last of three children moving away from home marks a significant move in my life, from...

Barack Obama's speech on Tuesday had a simple message. We can come together and create the America we all see as the Ideal - a place of equality and freedom, compassion and kindness - or not. As he reminds us in every speech, this change in direction is not about...

I heard the words, "In the Name of the Father" many times in my Lutheran upbringing in Indiana. While not of any religious orientation, I have had experiences that would be considered mystical or spiritual or 'experiences with God' by those who follow a monotheistic tradition. These first-person experiences are...

I just returned from the TED conference in Monterey, California, perhaps one of the most interesting experiences of my life, 3 and a half days of short presentations by scientists, writers, innovators, and creative thinkers of the 21st century. What permeated the event was curiosity - an insatiable thirst for...

Hillary: Do. Not. CHEAT.

I declared myself a feminist in 1967 (age 12) in Fort Wayne, Indiana where I grew up. It pains me greatly not to vote for a woman for president at this time but I am appalled at Hillary Clinton. I place honesty and integrity above...

I just returned from Burlington Vermont where I spent a few days with my son (a student at the University of Vermont) and gave a talk in the Medical School. More and more I find myself lecturing on the value of mindfulness meditation or other contemplative practices to enhance our...

In the aftermath of the shooting last week on another college campus, I am reminded of a common response to such horrors: to pray and seek solace from God.

In my opinion, the purpose of reflection, meditation, and contemplation in times like these has two purposes. First, cultivating a...

As I watched the Super Tuesday returns, I was struck by how utterly enjoying it is to be part of a democracy. My son, voting in his second Presidential election process, remarked to me how much he loves voting. He said how fulfilling it is to him to vote for...