Choices and decisions
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Keep your light
This, my dear, is the greatest challengeto being alive.To witness injustice in the world and not allow it to consume our light.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh There’s no way around it but through it. Unless you’re in denial, it’s been a difficult week for everyone. The ongoing post-election analysis isn’t helping nearly half of our wounded country, nor is it mending the broken personal relationships that were damaged by years of nefarious, name-calling politics. As a good friend put it, “Things aren’t going to feel normal for a long time.” But we can’t let fear or despair “consume our light,” as today’s quote suggests. All week, I’ve been talking with loved…
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Get out and vote!
“Every election is determined by the people who show up.” ~Larry Sabato, political scientist Tomorrow is a critical, history making Election Day. There’s a palpable sense of anxiety hovering like a thundercloud over everything. So much is at stake. These are stormy times, and ours is a volatile, divided nation. Political attack ads on TV are uglier than the back end of a baboon, and for that reason alone, some of us will be relieved when it’s over. That said, I’m always shocked and disappointed when I learn that many people haven’t voted yet — and don’t even plan to — including a couple of my relatives. Whether they’re uninformed,…
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Making choices
“Remember that you have more control over your emotional and physical health than your frightened mind would have you believe. You choose what you eat, how frequently you move your body, how lovingly you speak to yourself, and what you will and will not allow into your eyes and ears. Be very, very picky.” ~Cheryl Richardson I always feel my best when I remember that I have the power to create the changes I want to see in myself. For instance, I can make healthy choices at the grocery store or when I’m eating in a restaurant. Nobody is forcing me to order beer and French fries. The same is…
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Is freedom of the press at risk?
“Free speech is not speech you agree with, uttered by someone you admire. It’s speech that you might find stupid, selfish, dangerous, uninformed or threatening, spoken and sponsored by someone you despise, fear or ridicule. Free speech can be unpopular, contentious and sometimes ugly. It reflects a tolerance for differences. If everyone agreed on all things, we wouldn’t need it.” – Robert J. Samuelson, The Washington Post, 2014 As an American journalist, I cherish freedom of speech. I feel fortunate to live in a country in which we all have the right to express our opinions and beliefs on highway billboards and lawn signs as well as in newspapers, blogs, books, magazines,…
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The freedom to decide
At first glance, today’s quote got me thinking about democracy and why it’s imperative to vote in our elections. But then I thought about how “our ultimate freedom” extends far beyond politics. Every single day, our ultimate freedom is expressed in the way we use our talents and opinions; what we choose to eat or drink; how we dress or decorate; what we read; how we care for our health; how we treat others and how we allow others to treat us. Just for starters. Every day, we have the freedom to make countless life-enhancing decisions, including how we spend our time and with whom. Those of us who are…
