Satyagraha, Beauty and the Daily News

Satyagraha, Beauty and the Daily News

There was snow in Portland today, and the kids are all out of school. It was fun to wake up and feel like we have an extra Saturday this week, to see the quiet, white streets. The kids hung out and played — and I read the morning news, which I rarely get to do....
The Holiday Ritual

The Holiday Ritual

I really look forward to the holiday season.  I know it will be extra busy, but I hope it will also be fun.  I try to minimize the sense of endless shopping, and I hope be able to spend extra time with the people I love doing special things.  In my family, Christmas...
Halloween: Finding the Meaning Amidst the Kitsch

Halloween: Finding the Meaning Amidst the Kitsch

Tonight, when we came home from a dinner out, the house was dark.  It was cool out, and you could still make out the orange leaves against the black of the sky.  The almost full moon was made fuzzy by a few hazy clouds.  The kids wanted to light the Halloween lantern....

Folk Tales: Zombies and Start-Ups

Every culture and time period has stories that turn into folktales, stories repeated over and over.  These folktales have similar motifs, but the specifics, the morals, the beliefs attached to them change with the times and represent the concerns, the struggles and...