I don’t remember the year, but the memory is very clear. I’m guessing it happened in 1968 or 1969. My classmates and I took a school field trip to Washington, D.C. We visited the monuments and one or two of the Smithsonian Museum buildings. What stood out most was the… Read More »Creating Change: Toward a Better Society
It’s one of the best memories from that time in my life. It was a routine that was simple, refreshing, and renewing. In the evening, I’d walk Lincoln Road. Some shops along the way were vacant. Others were newly remodeled. Passers-by walked dogs; others skated by on roller-blades; a few… Read More »Change, Impermanence, and Living in the Present
Human beings are amazing creatures. We consider ourselves the most evolved of creatures on Earth. We have complex intelligence and keen awareness, an ability to create a wide array of symbolic forms of communication, giftedness for art and creativity, and a depth of compassion that seems to be greater than… Read More »Changing Our Hearts and Minds
2007. Nine years ago. It doesn’t seem like that long ago. I was spending several days at a retreat center in Tucson, Arizona where I was a presenter at a spiritual direction training program. Having some time before my next presentation, I placed a call to my mother who lived… Read More »Time for a Change
It was a question that caught me a bit off guard. But I’ve learned to expect such questions from my friend. Over the last year and a half I’ve been corresponding with someone who would normally be outside of my social circle: a former professional football player turned coach who’s… Read More »Social Consciousness: Awareness of the Needs of Others
I often hear it said, “People never change.” This adage is generally repeated in a moment of frustration and at that time, it seems to be true. Is it that people don’t ever change or that people don’t change in the ways we want and when we want? Is personal… Read More »A Lesson in Personal Change: The Life of Oscar Romero
New Year’s resolutions. I almost hate to admit this publicly, but I really don’t see the point to New Year’s resolutions. How many people make resolutions? How few people keep their resolutions past the end of January? A couple years ago, I wrote about using goal theory to help succeed… Read More »A New Year and Resolutions
It happened one evening. I was making dinner while listening to National Public Radio. The program, Fresh Air, came on. I wasn’t very interested in the interview but left the radio playing while I continued to cook. I don’t remember the guest. I don’t remember the actual topic of the… Read More »Do You Think People Actually Change?