my gardening story
My gardening story is full of happiness, learning, and gratitude—but it begins with a terrible childhood experience. The summer before kindergarten, I suffered a severe concussion that left me hospitalized for eight days. I don't…
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 Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless (MCH). Although we were no longer working closely together when…
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 Minnesota, thousands of people are excluded and forced to live with out a home. Children…
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 grown in living soil or produced on well-managed pasture. Much of what fills grocery store…
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 lyrics that have stayed with me over the years. In that post, I shared a…
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, by Sonja Lyubomirsky. In it, she points to a substantial body of research showing that…
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 feel at peace. 3. The diversity and quality of tastes of food from my garden…
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 Trump’s impact on Black and Brown communities—and the forms of resistance those communities have mounted?…
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 uncertainties. It is the dogged determination to do what is in our power to make…
From the Have-Nots to the Haves
I know I'm stating the obvious here, but can you imagine how many problems we could solve if our leaders stopped starting misguided wars and handing money over to the ultra-rich through our tax system?…
a morning when anxiety washed over me
This morning, as I began an hour-long walk around my neighborhood, anxiety washed over me. It started, as usual, with physical pain. My chest felt heavy and constricted. My throat tightened, making it difficult to…
Act like you matter because you do.
I think I fill my time quite well. When I'm not working on economic justice issues or taking some downtime, I'm: - spending time with Rebecca, - in my garden (or thinking about it), -…
Will we end poverty?
Some people say America will never end poverty. I think that reflects a defeatist view of history. Poverty is not a fixed concept. While there may always be people whom we classify as poor, the…
breakdancing
Mr. Bobo is a breakdancing wizard. Pictured here, you can see some of the Gang gather as he prepares to do a head spin to Harold Faltermeyer's primo 80's hit, "Axel F." Everyone is chanting,…
losing my prior identity; finding my new self
Six and a half years ago, I experienced a severe episode of Depression and Anxiety. Since then, much of my emotional energy has been spent trying to claw my way back to the person I…
On Feeling Alone
One of the most painful aspects of living with Anxiety and Depression is how alone you can feel when the symptoms strike. Statistics remind us that these mood disorders are incredibly common. Millions of people…
“Michael, you’ll never be a professional ice skater.”
Some years ago, my psychiatrist and I spent months adjusting my medications, trying to find the combination that would bring me the greatest relief from Anxiety. We changed dosages, tried different approaches, and carefully watched…
What my panic attacks feel like.
Chronic Anxiety is a mental illness that can bring with it painful, physical manifestations. In fact, when Anxiety turns into a full-blown panic attack, the suffering It inflicts on your body often feels unbearable. The…
New Edition Cover Band
Last night's New Edition cover band concert got started a little late. Bobby, as with the Bobby from the real New Edition, is a bit unreliable. He never showed. It was up to Ronnie, Rick,…
the bet
Jason bet Clarice she couldn't make it to the tippy-top of a slinky rope. Within seconds he realized what a stupid wager he made. Immediately after making it back down, Clarice demanded "That'll be a…