Many of us are feeling like we’ve been plunged into a spiral of dark news. Daily we are deluged with stories of large-scale migrant...
Films to Raise Your Spirits
Many of us are feeling like we’ve been plunged into a spiral of dark news. Daily we are deluged with stories of large-scale migrant deportations, abduction of students who peacefully protested for Gaza, mean-spirited cuts in critical social programs, like Head-Start. At the same time Congress has allotted the defense department a record [...]
Courage Reimagined
The story of women journalists in Gaza requires a new definition of courage. Many of these women are under 30. Several are young mothers. Daily they risk their lives to document the horrors of the escalating genocide in Gaza. Last year, Israeli bombs killed five women journalists in 24 hours. It’s difficult for most Westerners to [...]
Do You Suffer From Play Amnesia?
The cartoonist, Lynda Barry, contends that most adults suffer from “play amnesia.” Living in these dark times, many overlook play as a valuable resource to diffuse stress and lighten one’s mood. For example, when your news feed becomes too much to take in, take a break, and turn to humorous writing, like Dorothy Parker or The New [...]
Missing Meaningful Connections?
I feel sad and misunderstood among family and friends who dismiss my deep despair over the genocide in Gaza. Several friends are down in the dumps over their disconnections with adult children, who hold grudges against them, or who simply don’t make time for them. Thousands of Americans are angry over Trump’s cuts to essential living benefits, [...]
Building Hope
At lightning speed, Trump is chucking the constitution and flaunting cruel racist policies, throwing many Americans into despair. Climbing out of despair is contingent on building hope. We build hope by joining with like-minded neighbors to protest Trump’s mean-spirited policies. In the words of the Beatles song, “I get by with a little [...]
The Collapse of Compassion
According to the 2025 Compassion Report from Sanford’s School of Medicine, only 1 in 3 Americans feel compassion for all groups of marginalized people. Lindsay C. Gibson, author of Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents thinks that compassion for difficult parents can be a trap. Trump’s massive cuts in social programs are seriously [...]
At A Crossroad
GUEST POST by MARY DUNN We are at a crossroad in the United States. How we move forward will determine not only our future but that of our children and grandchildren. This is a heavy responsibility to carry. Like many of you, I struggle with how best to respond. First, I questioned: what exactly are we responding to? A little knowledge [...]
My Dream Spurred by Women’s History Month
I’m whisked into a celestial landscape where the light is so dazzling I wish I had sunglasses. While I’m struggling to adjust to the light, a disembodied voice calls out, “I have your visitor’s pass. I understand you would like to meet with some of our distinguished spirits to help you sort out your confusion over the current [...]
Can I Live Without Email?
GUEST POST by JANET WEIL “It is possible that you do not receive many emails at all, in which case I am very jealous…” “A Simpler Guide to Gm@il by Ceri Clark “Could I live without email?” The question popped into my head as I was perusing “how to” computer books in the library. Why would I even think of such a thing? I first [...]
Fighting Back
I belong to a women’s group that formed in response to the genocide in Gaza. We came together for mutual support after feeling alienated from friends and family, who didn’t share our commitment for ending the genocide. At our gatherings, we exchange resources and share our stories while munching on Peace Pizza. At our last meeting one [...]