Squish and Mr. Fender invite Jason over for dinner.
Mr. Fender suddenly mumbled, “Oh no.” “What?” Squish asked. “Did you buy groceries for dinner?” “Nope. I thought you did.”…
treasured advice from my mom
Years ago, when I was running the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless, my mom gave me some invaluable advice. I…
a tribute to Richard Sondah
Today, I found myself thinking about Richard Sondah, someone I worked with during my years as executive director of the…
Have we become numb to homelessness?
Poverty sucks. And, as many of you know, I believe one of its cruelest forms is homelessness. Every night in…
America’s unhealthy food system, part 1
America’s food system is centered neither on health nor sustainability. It is not organized around providing people with healthy food…
songs about struggling with mental illness
A handful of days ago, I wrote about revisiting some of my favorite music and paying closer attention to the…
What are the benefits of forgiveness?
As this question notes, withholding forgiveness can function as a kind of self-harm. I just finished reading, The How of Happiness,…
Why I garden the way I do.
1. When I eat food from my garden, I am eating responsibly. 2. When I am in my garden, I…
What would Howard Zinn say?
I wonder how Howard Zinn would have framed what’s unfolding in America right now. How would he have assessed Donald…
Hope is not a passive wish; it’s a decision to act.
Optimism says 'everything will be fine,' and pessimism says 'nothing will work out.’ Hope, on the other hand, has no…