Join Fetzer and Carve Out Time for Your Spirit
20 minutes. The time it takes to check and respond to the morning’s emails. To walk your dog. To run 2.5 miles. To power nap. To do a load of laundry. To read a lengthy editorial or a chapter in your current book.
What if you spent those 20 minutes differently? In ways that nourish you and, by default, the communities you move in — even professionally. We are sacred beings. Making time to connect with our divine source is as natural and as essential as breathing. Yet so few of us make time to do it on a daily basis.
Sparking Religious Curiosity in Today’s Youth
No one can prepare you for the type of grief that comes with losing a parent at an early age. Yet, I discovered a silver lining in the process: a deeper understanding of my faith.
Don’t get me wrong: there were plenty of moments when I was upset with God, and I had a lot to say to Him. Yet, that confusion and that pain made me believe in something bigger than myself. I felt comfort in knowing I wasn’t alone, but when I looked around at people my age, I still felt isolated and different.
It’s OK to Grieve
On a recent trip to Washington DC, I met with a dozen friends and colleagues in the philanthropic community. In these conversations, I heard the ways that many of us feel a deep sadness, a sadness compounded by these times of deep polarization, othering, violence, and personal pain. I have to admit that I feel this deep sadness as well.
A Journey Through Fog: Spiritual Solidarity in a Secular World
In the cold embrace of a winter evening in Kalamazoo, Michigan, a moment of unexpected clarity emerged from the mist, not just the literal fog that disrupted my travel plans but also the metaphorical haze that often separates our personal and professional lives. I was en route to New York City to honor a dear mentor at his memorial service, when my journey unexpectedly became a profound lesson in the power of spirituality and the beauty of human connection.
Spiritual Solutions for Political Flourishing
In the midst of the prevailing division, polarization, and self-interest in public life, the Fetzer Institute is asking: how can we live a better version of our civic lives?
Planting Gardens of Belonging
Our cultural moment is marked decisively by a bitter, national upheaval. The ramifications of such division are evident in the ongoing reformation of social and civic life that has fundamentally reshaped the American landscape for the next generation of public leaders, particularly those who are deeply rooted in a spiritual tradition.
Catalyzing a Movement, Together! Welcoming Faith and Spirituality into the Classroom for Holistic Development
In contemporary education, moving beyond traditional teaching avenues has become more vital than ever. To truly nurture our next generation, we must foster a learning environment that transcends textbooks, nurturing not just the mind but also the heart and soul of the student.
10 Characteristics of a Spiritually Supportive School: A Different Kind of School Supply
Bus drivers are back on their routes; teachers are leading classrooms bursting with energy; and parents and guardians are helping young people make the annual summer-to-school transition.
A Reflection on Rest
This summer I have made time for periods of rest: first celebrating Pride Month with my partner on the shores of Lake Superior, then in my garden, and with the unchanging comfort of my lawn chairs and favorite cups full of herbal tea. Being able to slow down my brain and body for an extended time helps me “reset” into a pattern of calmness that I need for my life. I often remember the story from my Christian faith, of God resting on the seventh day after creating the stars, planets, all plant and animal life, every natural thing we know and love, including human beings.
Racial Justice Doesn't Have to Divide Us as Americans. Here's How We Can Work Together.
Our faith traditions and spiritual paths call us to care for the other beyond our own self- and clan-interest as an expression of Love.
Originally published in USA Today June 15, 2023
The new Public Agenda/USA TODAY Hidden Common Ground poll offers important data about how Americans view racism and racial justice.