Strength  It comes from physical and mental exercise. Are Moral Dilemmas Too Complicated to Consider? A few weeks ago, I discussed groupthink, and how much easier it was to conform rather than do the research necessary to form your own

Transformation I received a letter from a reader complaining that a painful year had turned into a more painful summer and that if the pieces couldn’t be repaired, would I pray for her transformation? I hope the anonymous person doesn’t

The 2020 election ended with a lie, a false claim that the election was stolen. And since January 6, 2021, according to a recent NPR investigation, conspiracy theorists have taken that message on the roads. Four prominent purveyors of voting

Horrors of Groupthink To punk artist Henry Rollins, being inactive and unimaginative is among the biggest errors one can make. He wrote, “I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention. To be yourself. To cut yourself out of stone.” As

A Society Creating Itself When British poet WH Auden moved to the United States in 1939, it wasn’t because of the war. It was because he wanted to live in a society that was creating itself. During that time, the

 Douglas Firs have been known to live for over 1000 years. They were able to outlive changes in weather patterns and political upheavals. Will they survive global warming and the pressure of population growth? Last week, my grandson asked me what

An Overheating Planet 119 Degrees Fahrenheit was painted in 2021 when the temperature in Portland reached record highs. Sweating through July and August changed the way I looked at summer and the many trips I used to take to blistering

  Limitless Possibilities  The wall outside my childhood bedroom was covered with photos of relatives both dead and alive. My father didn’t like it. He especially minded walking by the image of his deceased parents. Instead of dwelling on the

Walking on Air Though Oregon is a no-tax state, it has two freeports where businesses can avoid customs taxes. Is it worth warehousing my art in a freeport warehouse with the expectation that it will go up in value and

Great Expectations When my oldest son was 10, I remember picking him up from a two-week camping trip. He was excited to be home, and as I learned later, he imaged running into the house and collapsing on his favorite