What Could We Lose?
I live in a country grieving and vulnerable, falling under the influence of users. These are painful times. The country I loved is morphing. Once we were heroes who … Continue reading
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New Curriculum?
What must a young person learn in school to prepare for success in the supposed future of the U.S.? Ideally, you need to be male, white, able-bodied, and within age … Continue reading
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How to Find Your Purpose
When I was in college, a favorite debate for late nights was whether life is determined by forces out of our control or subject to free will. The answer is … Continue reading
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Gift of Being There
Think of the happiest moment you remember experiencing in your life—feeling not merely satisfied or delighted but joyful from your heart outward. That exquisite joy is what I wish … Continue reading
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Holiday Tugs
As I gather texts and emails and even snail mail from friends and family, as I share my bounty with underpaid people who make my life easier, I feel an … Continue reading
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A Dead End Job
Imagine what an other worldly welcome for Rob Reiner would look like. Here was a person who seized opportunities to brighten his world, primarily with the films he created. … Continue reading
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You’ll Never Make a Living…
Young people of any age don’t naturally hesitate to make art in clay, paint, colored pencils, even mud, according to what’s available. They may act in impromptu plays, sing … Continue reading
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Tasty Books Available
Francis Bacon wrote, “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.” Novels that follow patterns of plot that can … Continue reading
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Thank You for All That’s Precious
Although portrayals of the original American Thanksgiving vary widely in accuracy and intent, wise people take the hint this time of year to celebrate their good fortune. Okay, lots of … Continue reading
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Being Neighborly
In the early days of this country when it wasn’t yet a country, travelers often looked for nearby private homes when night approached because there were no inns available. They … Continue reading
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Emotional Walls
Witnessing decent, hard-working people be unaffected by cruelty makes me cry. And cruelty doesn’t stop with physical harm. Cruelty is any time someone attempts to crush the humanity out of … Continue reading
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Rise and Shine!
America is a little healthier today, the day after election returns. This first election wasn’t important for being political. It was essentially a dose of personal tonic. Democracy loving Americans … Continue reading
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Age and Health: Spooky Equalizers
Living over a hundred years isn’t rare these days, but it isn’t normal, either. Here in the United States where we believe we have the finest foods, healthcare, and … Continue reading
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I LOVE Freedom
Finding darkness is never difficult. It’s become a habit. We generate it, venerate it, luxuriate in it. Our films offer an array of conflicts—the bases of our plots. We … Continue reading
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A Contrast of Kindness
As I write, the NO KINGS march is imminent. Thousands of Americans, who miss the optimistic, progressive, inclusive country we once aspired to be, will risk facing violence to … Continue reading
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Assigned Roles
The powers want to believe that we’re happier as a people if we’re assigned roles to fulfill, the people they don’t like being assigned to disappear. Women understand this … Continue reading
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Unconditional Family-ness
Many people think they love unconditionally, but they don’t. How can you tell the difference? Conditional love can be exhausting, because you’re constantly trying to gauge how people around … Continue reading
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Incredible Love
Perhaps up to 67% of the songs of the past decade have been about love, or so AI informs me. If we could examine all the songs and poems … Continue reading
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Unrepentant Kindness
In a world that has dimmed to spotlight selfish designs, even tiny candles of compassion seem extraordinarily bright. Warriors of kindness lend helping hands or funds or respect that … Continue reading
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If You See What I See
Many action films include a pulse-pounding scene in which the hero rides a motorcycle at top speed toward an abyss. Only at the last possible nano-second does the rider swerve … Continue reading
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Ugly and the Beasts
You’re sitting in an airport and time before your flight seems to have slowed or perhaps slipped backward. Some engage with their cell phones, never looking up. Some sleep. … Continue reading
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Whatever You Want, Dear
What if a particular political point of view could get its way about EVERYTHING? I seem to recall a STAR TREK episode in which the space travelers encountered a … Continue reading
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When Protesters Were in Flower
The mob of protesters washed by me on the campus green like a wave of random rumbling bodies with vacant eyes. I barely understood what was at stake. … Continue reading
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Your Pants Are On Fire!
Long ago, my husband’s elderly uncle came to us beaming with pride. He handed us an envelope with the words, “It’s a million dollars! I want you to have … Continue reading
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A Mile in My Moccasins
Few people from industrialized countries are closely connected with their countries—not in a nationalistic way, but with the land and water, wildlife and air. We assume the notion is outdated. … Continue reading
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What Makes You Worthy of Being Alive?
The 2001 film MY LOUISIANA SKY is partly a coming-of-age story of a 12-year-old girl (Tiger) in the 1950’s, at first feeling burdened by her family’s low economic status … Continue reading
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Beauty to Make You Cry
When are humans so beautiful that they make you cry? At Red Carpet appearances? No. At Fashion Week in New York? Probably not. Showing off their conspicuous consumption or a … Continue reading
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Consciousness Revealed?
Traditionally, consciousness was regarded as inappropriate for scientific study because it couldn’t be handily measured. In fact, it couldn’t be defined any better than we could precisely define life and … Continue reading
