In 1921, the city of Tulsa erupted in a spasm of hate and fire that destroyed its prosperous Black district. A century later, excavators are uncovering a “crime scene.”
The Exercise That Could End Your Suffering
For more than three decades, Tibetan Buddhist nun Pema Chodron has been teaching how the principles of Buddhism are universal. In particular, she’s taught that regardless of our spiritual beliefs, we are all seeking two things: enlightenment and an end to our suffering. Watch as Pema demonstrates a practice called compassionate abiding we can all use to let go of negativity and grow…
Why Cats Do the “Slow Blink” at Their Owners
“Cats will typically avoid eye contact when afraid or threatened; when they are being offensively aggressive, they will stare (and staring at them is perceived as a threat),” Mikel Delgado, a cat researcher the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, tells Inverse. “The slow blink is a demonstration of eye contact without staring, and we interpret this behavior as a sign of relaxation and trust. Some might call that love.” Read more: Why Cats Do the “Slow Blink” at Their Owners
Does Your Face Mask Protect You or Other People?
The distinction between face coverings designed to protect the wearer, and those that may protect other people, has been central to the recent debate about face masks: Does Your Face Mask Protect You or Other People?
The Importance of Sleep During Covid-19
How rest helps our brain process during quarantine: The Importance of Sleep During Covid-19
Sparrow Song Undergoes Key Change
White-throated sparrows made a change to their familiar call that quickly spread across Canada: Sparrow Song Undergoes Key Change
100 Questions to Ask Your Teen Other Than “How Was School?”
An adolescent-assisted list of alternate conversation starters: 100 Questions to Ask Your Teen Other Than “How Was School?”
Walt Whitman on What Makes Life Worth Living
“Tone your wants and tastes low down enough, and make much of negatives, and of mere daylight and the skies.” Walt Whitman on What Makes Life Worth Living
Why Apology Is So Difficult for Some People
How to give an effective and meaningful apology: Why Apology Is So Difficult for Some People
The Value of Taking Notes
If you have a serious need to memorize, you must make notes: The Value of Taking Notes
Removal of Confederate symbols is personal (and mandatory!)
If you don’t understand why it’s critical that these confederate monuments be removed then you just don’t understand enough about why they are there in the first place! Perhaps this short video from the PBS Newshour will help you understand the way it did for me:
You see, most of these statues were erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to support the glorious ‘Lost Cause’ and promoted racism. They weren’t erected after the war — most were erected from 1890 to 1920 as a strong antithetical racist backlash to the early success of African Americans during the reconstruction under President Grant (the first civil rights president).
I hope that if you take a moment to learn why these statues are so offensive, then you too will want them removed!
Recommended reading: As a Black woman from the South, removal of Confederate symbols is personal – CNNPolitics
Why ‘EQ’ Is The Most Important Thing You Can Teach Your Kids
Yes, you want your kids to succeed. But you also want them to be grounded, emotionally intelligent humans: Why ‘EQ’ Is The Most Important Thing You Can Teach Your Kids
Let’s Finish the American Revolution
I recommend this op-ed piece in the New York Times.
Frederick Douglass’ Descendants Read His Famous ‘Fourth Of July’ Speech
Descendants of Frederick Douglass read excerpts from one of his most famous speeches: What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? Douglass gave this speech to a group of abolitionists 168 years ago: Frederick Douglass’ Descendants Read His Famous ‘Fourth Of July’ Speech
America After The Civil War: Reconstruction
I have never been interested in the Civil War — seemed to just be a big fustercluck to me. Now, the thought occurs to me that you cannot understand our current situation until you understand that the Civil War actually accomplished very little and that much of the work of the Civil War and for that matter, the Declaration of Independence, is STILL undone.
From this day forward, the 4th of July will be a day of mourning and reflection to me until that day when we begin to realize this basic tenet of the Declaration of Independence:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
The Declaration of Independence, July 2, 1776
Let the work begin…
Perhaps when we begin to understand our history on a deeper level we can realize that the America we have celebrated is a fantasy — it never existed!
O, yes,
America, Langston Hughes
I say it plain,
America never was America to me,
And yet I swear this oath—
America will be!
Interested in this topic? Here’s some recommended reading.
Why leaders need to give their team members recognition
As children we are taught to seek out confirmation that we have done well. A reward through a treat or a hug becomes the norm. As we grow through to adult life, this belief system continues and builds our need to be affirmed, validated and have our needs or feelings recognised by those around us. Yet, in today’s world, the need for recognition and validation is portrayed as a trait that needs to be overcome – even though it is something that forms the very core of who we are as humans. As we work our way through the COVID-19 pandemic, how can we take this innate need for recognition, and use it to support those around us through crisis and build a stronger, more resilient community when we come out the other end?
Bright, shiny objects! 
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