Remember the sky that you were born under,know each of the star’s stories. Remember the moon, know who she is. Read more »

The whole time between Thanksgiving and Kwanzaa is filled with days of remembrance. In the weeks around the winter solstice those of us in the Northern Hemisphere remind ourselves that we live in a universe where light will push aside the dark… Read more »

Knowing what you now know, would you do it all over again? Whatever it is. Marry your spouse? Pursue your career? Buy that house? Go to that college? Enlist? Join the Peace Corps? End that relationship? Plant that crop? Invest in those stocks? Read more »

Filled with the holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert. (Luke 4:1) He’s really not much different from us, the man who walked deep into that desert. Read more »

We are on a dismounted patrol to the top of some ancient ruins. A short walk, but the ground is loose and steep. Rocks and dirt slide down as we walk up. The only way to make it up a steep hill while laden with gear is to look ahead but watch where you put ...Read more »

“One lives in the hope of becoming a memory.” —Antonio Porchia

The essence of gift is that it creates a set of relationships.  The currency of a gift economy is, at its root, reciprocity. —Robin Wall Kimmerer

“My barn having burned down I can now see the moon.”—Mizuta Masahide

“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” —Maya Angelou

“The true art of memory is the art of attention.” —Samuel Johnson

“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.” —Henri Matisse

“This could be our revolution: to love what is plentiful as much as what is scarce.”—Alice Walker

It always surprises me when people tell me how brave I am for being openly transgender. It doesn’t seem like bravery to me because I know how painful it was to live in the “before”… Read more »

Some of us have been able to escape the bonds of belief systems that condemn us through religious hate-speak. As an “escapee,” I offer you words of comfort: You are not an abomination. You are not flawed. You are good and worthy, and you deserve to live life in an unfragmented fashion…as well as confident that you deserve to ...Read more »

Just as much as marriage, divorce or separation can be a holy choice. When divorce is grounded in deep reflection and care, it can be an expression of love and commitment to life. Read more »

“Do you know who I am?” I asked my soul mate of almost 23 years. She looked at me attentively, which was something, but said no words. “I’m Patti,” I said, “your wife. We’ve been together for 23 years.” Read more »

Over the years, we learned that gender too was one of the seeds that would only emerge in time. How beautiful it has been to watch as our beloved child has bloomed, in gender and identity and expression. Read more »

Have you ever felt frozen after hearing the news of a traumatic event or catastrophe? After the sadness and reality of a traumatic event or catastrophe situation have settled in, you’ve probably also experienced the sinking feeling that there isn’t anything you can do to “fix” the problem. We hate acknowledging that difficult ...Read more »

Many of us have long since mastered the art of despair. Many of us have fallen into despair’s trance, memorized by thoughts of suicide. Read more »

Well-meaning people explain that it doesn’t matter what religion I choose, but I must choose, and only one. Only then, they say, can I go truly deep into a religion. Read more »

Optimism is often held up as a cardinal virtue. No matter the situation, we feel we should be plucky, searching for that silver lining, and courageous. Yet… Read more »