an action researcher in international peacebuilding
Last weekend in Amsterdam I queued up for two hours in cold weather to gain admission to the Anne Frank House museum. There was no guarantee that there would be space for me, or that my endurance would last long enough to find out. But I made it inside! It was a profound experience. I don’t … More A Warning from Anne Frank
My chiropractor recently told me ‘There’s no guarantee that you won’t have more than one problem at a time.’ He was speaking the truth about the health of my spine. And his words are equally true when applied to the state of our world. Most people who know me assume that I am preoccupied with … More The Other Thing Happening in Paris – Climate Change
In honor of Mother’s Day, this is a modified version of the eulogy that I wrote for my Mom, Nancy Garred, who passed away on 30 January. Mom loved being locally rooted, living nearly 50 years in Tumwater, Washington State, and all her life in the Pacific Northwestern USA. I, however, lost my local roots … More Homemade Lessons for a Global Life
I usually resist the urge to write about every heartbreaking event that comes along. I’m a slow blogger, and by the time I finally write something the moment has often passed. But here’s the thing: silence sometimes looks like acceptance. So let’s talk right now about Ferguson, Missouri. This looks like complex situation in which … More Ferguson: No silence, no acceptance
Jean-Baptiste, a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, wants his story told and remembered. I had the privilege to sit in his home and listen. Listen. It started with house burnings. Then cattle thefts. Then machete hacks and seven days in a pit, praying, surrounded by the dying and the dead. Ten siblings among the … More A Conversation on Genocide and Whiteness
I see broken inter-group relationships everywhere I go. This is part of my DNA as a peacebuilder, but it can become heavy. I must remind myself to celebrate the positive. There were signs of hope around Seattle in 2013. Representative Jim McDermott introduced the Duwamish Tribal Recognition Act. There’s a history here of broken promises. The … More 2013: Signs of Hope in Seattle
The turkey leftovers are gone, but I’m still thinking. Most of us know that the ‘Pilgrims and Indians’ story taught in school has been – ahem – sanitized. But the day is about being thankful, so it’s all good, right? Well, sort of. I do like Thanksgiving. It’s not about the food; it’s about being … More What does God think of Thanksgiving?
