On a visit to an ophthalmologist, I noticed my medical chart said I was mobility impaired. Having climbed 3 flights of stairs to get to his office, I was non-plussed. “What does this mean?” I said, stabbing an accusing finger at the chart. The doctor took a moment to read th
Patriotism is out of favor these days, dropping from 70% support in 2000 to 38% today. (“The Strange Triumph of a Broken America,” by Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, Jan/Feb. 2025, pg. 50.) Because we choose our leaders in a democracy, the decline says the voters are unhappy
A friend shared a letter with me from Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. In it, he outlined a course of political action for the future. (Dec. 31, 2024) Like many of us, he sees the next 4 years as rocky ones for the country. To protect our democracy he makes 3 proposal
Though averse to ageism, I was moved when I read that longtime Congresswoman Anne Kuste was retiring to allow someone younger to take her place. As a tribute to her decision, I have recorded below my relevant brunch conversation with a Millennial.
What is hope but futility for moments stood on end? (Sydney Lee) When I was a child learning my catechism, I wondered about the hopelessness of hell. Condemned to the fires of eternal damnation, why didn’t those lost souls rebel?
During the 2024 election campaign, those scratching for a reason to support Donald Trump said they wanted someone with business experience who could make the government more efficient. Why they would hold that hope for a man who filed six bankruptcies is a mystery. Nonetheless, thei
Campaigning with Vice President Kamala Harris in a battleground state, Republican Liz Cheney framed the stakes of the 2024 election like this. Our own security and our own freedom require that we have a president who understands America has to lead and that our strength comes from o
JINGLES THAT JANGLE Percy (One) Our new dog, named for the beloved poet, ate a book which unfortunately we had Left unguarded. Fortunately, it was the Bhagavad Gita, of which many copies are available. Every day now, as Percy grows into the beauty of life, we touch his wild curly h
I am one of J. D. Vance’s “cat ladies.” Being childless, I have explored the universe without the need to pack a breast pump. That may be selfish of me, but I am unashamed. After all, I contributed to the well-being of the young as a teacher for many years. Sadly, I won’t li
Felled by ageism, Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 campaign for U. S. President, and the country lost one of its greatest leaders. A gracious man, he put the nation above his ambition and ended Democratic anxiety about his ability to defeat Donald Trump. On the upside, his decision