The simple act of regaining gives us new potential, purpose and possibilities. By cultivating virtue and ingenuity we can best give and get the best in this world. Regain and many happy returns will follow!
The Attitude of Mitakuye Oyasin One of my dearest friends once told me that the single most important word in the English language’ve held onto that truth. For over two-thirds of my life, I’ve wrestled with deep sorrow over how we, as humans, treat the Earth—especially when it comes to trash. But I’ve come to see that when I let despair, depression, or even apathy take root, I only add to the harm. Now, just a few years shy of 70, I find myself entering a season of life where things are beginning to break down—physically, emotionally, materially. And yet, I’m more drawn than ever to plant seeds of possibility, purpose, and potential. My measure of quality in life is no longer about accumulation or achievement, but about contribution. It’s about finding that sacred sweet spot where I can be of service—where what I offer matters. As a visitor here on this sacred Earth, how I leave it—and what I leave behind—matters deeply to me. I live with the intention to treat all things a...
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...
Awakening in a Mindless World If there are more neural connections in our brain than stars in the Milky Way, then why are we so clueless? Embracing my own mindlessness, I step forward. This vulnerability shifts my paradigm. So how do we become more mindful in a mindless world? It begins with remembering: everything has been thought of before. Now the question is—can we think of it again? I grew up courting triumphant disaster, witnessing the best of financial times in an emotionally distant society. Raised in the material swirl of 1960s Washington, D.C., I longed for future wisdom. But shame and guilt, born of our self-indulgent world, have often eclipsed such progress. The question remains: How adaptive are we, truly, in our quest to survive? Do we treasure resources for the future—or are we deluded? I’ve come to embrace the insignificance of temporary things, while holding space for the who...
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