Daily Life
Knowing it's a priority of the Intramuralist, recently someone asked me exactly what “respectful dialogue” means. Allow me to begin by professing that I am no expert. The thoughts shared below are a compilation of priorities I’ve embraced from the insights and wisdom of Dr. Marilee Adams,
Daily Life
It’s pretty cold in my hometown these days. At the time of this writing, my seemingly temperamental thermometer is registering a whole 11°. Driving in the cold yesterday, I was about to turn into a small shopping center when I noticed an older van blocking the entrance. So I
Current Issue
In our seemingly frequent, politically correct culture, I heard someone recently ask what the problem actually is with political correctness. Great question. And one we should talk about. Perhaps we should first define what it is… Political correctness (or colloquially “PC”) equates to “the avoidance, often considered as taken to
Holiday
Each year seems marked by its uniqueness… ’41 was the attack on Pearl Harbor, the escalation of WWII and the USA’s involvement… ’63 was when a nation mourned the death of its sitting President, stilled by the poignancy of his young son’s salute… ’97 saw the deaths of
Daily Life
So with the new year and accompanying plethora of “Yada-Yada-Yada’s of the Year” proclamations, I found myself somewhat amused by Merriam-Webster’s announcement that “surreal” was its word of the year for 2016. Defined as something that has been “marked by the intense irrational reality of
Current Event
She was the first princess I ever truly desired to imitate. His transcendence beyond boxing amazed me. Her Pulitzer Prize winning masterpiece was the first novel I ever loved. His brilliance on the High Court was striking, as noted by one of his besties, the ideologically opposite Ginsberg. She was
Holiday
Just a few words this day… As the decorations are dismantled and all hung with care keeps coming down, my thoughts turn to the reality after Christmas. I paused the other evening, as I, too, sat seemingly amidst a sea of crumpled wrapping paper and contented kids, hearing that iconic
Holiday
Sometimes the most powerful messages are shared in the simplest ways, such as 51 years ago, in “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Near the animated special’s end, a discouraged Charlie Brown mutters the following: “I guess you were right, Linus. I shouldn't have picked this little tree. Everything
Current Event
One of the most poignant perspectives of the Christmas story, whether or not one adheres to the Christian faith, is the expectancy of all those in active pursuit of something good. The Bethlehemites and key players involved didn’t just sit around, fumbling with some semblance of a remote, loosely
Current Issue
[What a treat to spend extended time with these 6 individuals. What a growth opportunity to be sharpened by those who don’t all think the same as me. Here is the end of our 5 part series, as articulated by Brent, Janie, Mike, Roni, Ronnie, and Ruth, and their
Current Issue
[Over the past week, we’ve posted excerpts from a conversation with 6 diverse individuals: Brent, Janie, Mike, Roni, Ronnie, and Ruth. Each recognizes intentional respect as the first, best step forward in the polarized, political environment in which we live. Here is the second to last piece of our
Current Event
[The conversation continues with Brent, Janie, Mike, Roni, Ronnie, and Ruth… 6 diverse individuals who recognize intentional respect as the first, best step forward.] AR: So let me ask a question. When someone doesn't share your stated fears or concerns, how do you work with that? How do