Re-Gain

At my fiftieth high school reunion last weekend, I reunited with the son of Senator Frank Church. In 1971, I had the honor of interviewing Senator Church—the statesman who dared to expose the CIA’s abuses of power. A decade later, I testified before Congress myself.   Over the years, I have spoken at every level of government because I believe in the process of lawmaking—and in the sacred duty of citizens to speak truth to power.   Today, that duty is under siege. Peaceful protesters are being met with indictments, intimidation, and even the deployment of the National Guard in our cities. The irony is bitter: James Comey’s actions helped Donald Trump ascend to the presidency, yet Trump now cries “insurrection” in Democratic strongholds—while failing to defend the Capitol itself, where police officers were killed and injured.   We are drifting into a Brave New World of doublespeak, where dissent is branded as danger and patriotism is twisted into...

I am a Baby Boomer.  I just attended my fiftieth Walt Whitman high school reunion. I’m a third-generation Washingtonian—my father worked for Congress for forty years, and my grandfather was an economist at the USDA. I’ll soon be leaving the Edgemoor Club in Bethesda, where I’ve been a member for over sixty years—and once served as the pro. I was fortunate growing up, surrounded by adult mentors who modeled generosity and reciprocity. We still have a house in the neighborhood. I stand on the shoulders of the Greatest Generation—those who endured war, built infrastructure, and laid the foundation for prosperity. Yet I find myself deeply unsettled by what my own generation is leaving behind. With an estimated $84 trillion in accumulated wealth, Boomers hold unprecedented financial power. But what are we doing with it? Too little, I fear—for the future, for the environment, for the generations to come. I have no children of my own—just one nephew and one niece. And I often ...

I grew up as a Unitarian, so I suppose you could say I’m somewhat spiritually promiscuous. Over the past three decades, I’ve studied Buddhist philosophy with intensity and devotion.   I believe everyone can benefit from exploring Buddhist psychology. Still, I doubt the religion itself will ever become extremely popular—because most people don’t want to look directly at the sources of their suffering.   For me, becoming a Buddha—rather than simply identifying as a Buddhist—has eased my anxiety. Meditation and my reverence for being outdoors have been essential to my mental wellness. Accepting the suffering of others as also my own freed me from self‑pity.   For years, I struggled to relax and savor the moment. Part of that came from self‑medicating. Since my teenage years, I have smoked marijuana. Later, as it became more potent, I began drinking. I didn’t drown my troubles—I merely irrigated them. My anxiety only grew the more I obsessed over my...

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