Ways of Seeing: Our neighbors are not our enemies

The hardest and most necessary work of our life is loving other beings.

Ways of Seeing: What is the cost of flourishing?

Have you ever been lost? Before there were the map apps, it surely happened more frequently while driving. Hiking can be a different situation.

Ways of Seeing: Paid by the apple

At age 31, I’d never worked with my hands. I experimented with hand tools as a kid at my father’s cellar workbench when he was working.

Ways of Seeing: Historical lessons on (border) politics

Last week, the Biden Administration announced that it was considering an Executive Order that would restrict asylum claims at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Ways of Seeing: Gaye’s musical message endures

Recently, I got the urge to listen to Marvin Gaye’s album “What’s Going On?” I’m fortunate enough to own the CD and, yes, I still have a CD player.

Ways of Seeing: The look of love is in his eyes

Our cat Buster loves meat. Raw meat. We adopted him because he was cute and cuddly, and because my husband fell in love with him.

Ways of Seeing: On preventing future suffering

I taught my first yoga classes over thirty years ago, when my teacher and mentor Gayna took her annual two-month long winter trip to Zihuatanejo, Mexico, and asked me to fill in for her while she was away.

Ways of Seeing: Answering spirits during new moon

On the eleventh day after the new moon, spirits call me. I am giving Grandmother Erdenchimeg an energy healing. Her back is sore after the evening reindeer milking.

Ways of Seeing: Universal primary care a vital step

In the past few years, we have heard, with growing alarm, the concern that changing demographics in Vermont will soon spell disaster.

Ways of Seeing: Women and the future of farming

This Christmas Day something remarkable happened on our farm: at 4 p.m. chore time three generations of women headed out to the barn to do our milking and feeding chores while three generations of men finished up the dinner and table preparations for our … (read more)

Ways of Seeing: Phone call led to expanded family

It was almost thirty years ago when we received a phone call from Indonesia. While we did not know the person calling, she was actually a Vermonter from the Vergennes area who lived in that part of the world.

Ways of Seeing: Spontaneity adds joy to traveling

This past summer my family and I went on a trip to France. We went partly to indulge my Dad’s desire to see some of the Tour de France, and partly to fulfill my daughter’s wish to visit Paris.

Ways of Seeing: Thankful for wheel of dark and light

Well, it happened again. Sunday night it started raining and just kept on.

Ways of Seeing: Older workers are part of the equation

A few weeks ago, I read a New York Times article that both intrigued and annoyed me: “Vermont May Be the Face of a Long-Term U.S. Labor Shortage.”

Ways of Seeing: The piano can be a refuge

I rarely play the piano anymore, but there are times it brings me home.

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