For the past three years, I’ve been grandma to two African-American children whose parents immigrated from Ethiopia and Somalia. We meet weekly to do art and science projects,  read, and take excursions in area parks. The escalation of Omicron brought

Most of us don’t know what is going on in our family’s or neighbor’s heads, let alone the country. You might be pleasantly surprised they’re engaged in many activities aimed at improving lives. How can you be happy if you

It’s no secret that I write my blogs with a cause in mind. I hope to stimulate thought about issues rarely discussed.  The research I do pries my eyes open so I can see the world more clearly. Last week

  Fractured America  The events of January 6th brought the realization that half the people in the country don’t believe in or want democracy. They are willing to throw majority rule away to armed mobs. I wonder if these people

        The Cave Imagine the number of changes in the world since caveman days. Often accompanied by war, famine, and cruelty, they weren’t always welcome. Living with Uncertainty This week, I passed the following quote posted outside

Oriental Maple Thirty-five years ago I planted an oriental maple that, on the way to my front door, greets with lacy red foliage. Walking past, I am filled with gratitude.  Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Brain A few weeks ago I wrote

At the start of the week, I finished reading There, There by Tommy Orange who wrote about the plight of urban Native Americans. It was one of the most hopeless books I read, showing what alcohol, drugs, guns, and displacement

Greed, defined as an excessive desire for wealth or goods, at its worst, trumps rationality, judgment, perspective, and it can cause damage. Many psychologists say it’s a primal impulse–a biological instinct for survival. They suggest that the urge to work,

One Seed at a Time The climate summit in Glasgow is a very big deal. The world has many problems, but nothing needs more attention more global warming. Scientists predicted the crisis we are experiencing years ago when the public

Is she healthy, safe? Who cares? Unsung Heroes Nextdoor We speak compassionately of those who are ill, lose jobs, or become homeless, but there’s another group that deserves our empathy—the caregivers.  Though I appreciate professionals who help those in need,