Dear President Obama,
On your last night as our president, I want to thank you for your service to our country. Thank you for setting an example of humility, grace, class, temperament, leadership, and an inclusionary worldview. Despite being stymied by an obstructionist government you carried forward. Despite the vitriol, partisanship, and personal attacks, you continued to go high when they went low. You showed us that smart men marry smarter women and that being a father usurps the Presidency as the most important job in the world.
Read moreThis weekend we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, the only non-president to have a national holiday dedicated in his honor. It’s well deserved. In the 1960’s Dr. King led the struggle against racial discrimination. His dream was to use the rights of the Constitution to be a nation abiding by the words of the Constitution. He inspired his supporters to use freedom of speech; the power of words not fists. He advocated non-violent protest — even when the opposition was violent. His leadership of the Civil Rights Movement created huge gains for African Americans, but discrimination hasn't gone away.
Read moreI lived with my grandmother during my early childhood years. She was the matriarch of our caring, interdependent family, and she set the tone and values of our home. She was the wise woman everyone searched out for advice. The kitchen was the center of activity, and there were always tempting aromas of a meal in progress. She cooked for us, served us, and she would always EAT LAST — after ensuring everyone's needs were met. So imagine my surprise when I read that my grandmother shares this, and other leadership traits with the Generals that President-elect Trump recently appointed to office.
Read moreExhale. The holiday rush is behind us. The election is history. We’re beginning a new year with its own celebrations and landmarks, challenges and achievements. To quote Robert Frost, “In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.” So let’s relax and welcome the New Year — 365 fresh, unlived days, beginning now.
Read moreA tiny book called, So Ecstasy Can Find You, completely fulfills the title's promise. It just arrived from Amazon, and once I began to read, it captivated my attention until I reached the back cover all too soon. Elizabeth Cunningham is a novelist and a poet; an artist who paints with insights. As my holiday gift to you, here are my favorite excerpts from her book.
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