My youngest sister just posted this on facebook. Every single person in the picture is a mother now – a fact both astonishing and not. In this photo the mom is my mom, our mom. Here, somewhere in a field in south central Texas, she sits forever 33 with her four little girls, lined up by age. I’m the oldest, the one in all yellow. Also in that forever way, I know… Read More
Here are some things I have come to know: The land of the United States remains vast and more beautiful than any imagining. The people of the United States remain more capable of wisdom, kindness and cooperation than our media and leadership lead us to believe. GPS systems can get you almost anywhere – sometimes by incessant nagging, sometime with astonishing grace. I hear there may be an annoyingly breathy replacement coming… Read More
It is early morning in the middle of April. I am on a bus leaving Oxford, UK. I have kissed my daughter on the cheek more than twice. We have hugged one another many more times than that. Each embrace as if it were the actual goodbye – the one that would leave our parting fully signified and safe. All through, we smile into each other’s eyes to fill the gaps between… Read More
Yesterday I came into the Oxford University offices for public health. I was there to meet up with a friend and colleague. A slight woman greeted me. In contrast to the reserved decorum I have come to expect, this Oxford official nearly skipped up to meet me, smiling young and radiant above a cascade of pearls. Josephina was curious about my accent, about Oregon. She brought me water. I asked how long… Read More
No, Geraldo. It’s not the clothing. It’s about looking under the hoodie. mc By now, most Americans are aware of the death of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old young man who was visiting his father’s home in a gated community of Sanford, Florida. Trayvon lost his life to a single gunshot fired by a man who lived in the same community. At the time the fatal shot fired, it was dark. Trayvon, who… Read More
I drove into Cincinnati from Manhattan. How many times will I be able to say that? Not many. And it was no minor feat. I’m guessing this is not the least bit surprising to any of you. Still, we say these things out loud to one another – partly as a request for validation – a “wow” that fits with the relative enormity of the accomplishment. The vast majority of Americans don’t… Read More
I’ve just spent the past three days crossing the Southern tier states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama into Georgia. I’ve spent precious time with relatives – kin by birth and kin by choice and community. Along the slow roll of land falling toward and then rising up from the Mississippi River’s reliable flow I found story after story, learning after learning. In the three years since I last drove these Southern highways… Read More
Better than you believe; stronger than you seem. Carol Ackerman “What we know is that the more people affiliate with other people, the more their sources of positive experiences and possibilities for energizing and purposeful activity in the world.” This is my best shot at something my mentor, Jane Conoley said to me yesterday morning. We were sitting in her living room, the Sunday morning light breathing itself across the bamboo floors,… Read More
It looked like a done deal to lots of folks who are paid to make authoritative calls on such things. Chances were slim, they said a week ago, that Gingrich, Perry or Santorum could stage a comeback in the South Carolina primary that took place last Saturday. It’s heard of, but none of those campaigns appeared anywhere near as strong as Romney’s given the current playing field with its corporations=people, money=free speech rulebook. Enter… Read More
Gong Hey Fat Choy! A most auspicious New Year to each and all. I just saw the link to an International Business Times article on my friend Valerie’s facebook page. She put this quote from the article in her post, “The Dragon is larger than life and its appearance means that big things are to come.” Then she wrote, “I can get into that! :)” Me, too! So here I am 500 miles down… Read More
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