It is perhaps fitting that this final blog prompt asks us to reflect on both where we are from and where we are going. So, here goes: I am from the 30-year old keyboard that sits in the corner of my living room, that my dad bought for me when my parents divorced so that… Continue reading Where I’m from and where I’m going
What does it mean to be a reconciling leader? I have asked myself this question throughout this Journey of Hope, and I suspect (hope) I will ask it of myself for the rest of my days. I held this question in mind when I wrote my “I Am From…” poem, and realized that for a… Continue reading Never Alone
I am from a faithful Anglican Priest lineage Who married into an equally faithful **“drinking family” (read “Catholic family”) (** Grandma’s quote in the family lore) I am from a family with too many children. I am from hopscotch and foursquare and Jax on the porch. I am from a bedtime routine of “Kiss, Eskimo… Continue reading I Am From…
I am from tea cups from avocados and chocolate I am from the warmth of CA sunshine I am from palm trees The lemon trees who’s long gone limbs I remember as if they were my own I am from baking and hosting from grandmas Carol and Ada I’m from avoidance and quiet and from… Continue reading I am from…
I am from the Saguaro cacti and tumbleweeds The trees full of buzzing cicadas on hot, summer nights I am from dial-up internet From Neil Diamond and Kenny G drifting from the CD player I am from the home that hosted Bible studies The cul-de-sac where we road bikes and played games with neighbors And… Continue reading Where I’m From
I’ve always felt the need to be the host, not because it comes naturally, but because I thought it was my role as a good Christian. As I sat and wrestled with the reason behind that felt obligation, I heard one of my fellow cohort members, a person of color, speak up and say that… Continue reading The Power Dynamics of Hospitality
I see power as often contextual. An individual or group that has more power in one situation may have less power in another. To the extent that being part of a majority leads to some sort of power (which is sometimes the case and sometimes not), even that can be contextual—for example, as a Catholic… Continue reading The Power of Faith
Clare Martin’s discussion of “misinformation” – and the magnitude and influence of misinformation, has left me wondering. It will take quite awhile to work through this. It’s not that I was shocked by what she said. I was aware of misinformation in our world, but my enhanced awareness of the depth of negative influences has… Continue reading More questions than answers
There’s a park in my neighborhood. It might not look like much. There’s a playground that’s often covered in graffiti, a half basketball court, and some picnic tables and benches. But this park represents about two decades of prayers, dreaming, community meetings, phone calls, door to door surveys, and letters to City Council. For a… Continue reading Hope Embodied
For the past few years, I’ve been focusing more and more on trying to navigate divides among Americans of differing political ideologies and the growing animosity and lack of civility in discussions on political and social issues—what is coming to be known as ‘toxic polarization.’ The United States was founded on principles of peaceful coexistence… Continue reading Navigating our political divides
