Politics

  • Photo stories,  Politics

    The right to feel safe?

    “I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire. I choose to inhabit my days, to allow living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible; to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise.” ~Dawna Markova I have tickets to an annual art fair I’ve been looking forward to all year. But for the first time ever, I’m ambivalent about making the trip. The Fourth of July shooting in Highland Park — along with other recent episodes of gun violence — has made me uneasy about attending any sort of large outdoor public event.…

  • Personal growth,  Photo stories,  Politics,  Reputation

    Walking our talk

     “The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion.” ~Paulo Coelho Few things annoy me more than being judged, vilified, or bullied by a hypocrite. How often do you encounter folks who preach a rigid set of morals and values — yet their lives exemplify something else entirely? Just for starters, there’s the parent who drinks too much but punishes his underage kids for doing the same. And how about those political pundits who condemn the lifestyles of others while hiding a few dancing skeletons in their own closets? If you’re hoping to earn trust or influence others, remember that your life is telegraphing its own message every…