Feathers of Gratitude
As part of a fun craft project, my son recently made a giant turkey out of paper and taped it to the wall. It has big eyes and a little wattle. Each day, my son cuts out a new feather …
Category: Nathan
Deep Suffering and Great Joy
In graduate school, I worked as a chaplain in a large hospital, and once a week would work a 24-hour shift covering the entire hospital. One late evening I got a page (yes, we used pagers) to visit a woman …
In All Its Fullness, May Peace Be With You
While in graduate school, I happened to live in one of the most racially diverse zip codes in Chicago. The neighborhood prided itself on this little known fact. Only two blocks west of my apartment was a well-known Jewish neighborhood …
Learning to See No Stranger
I’m currently reading See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love by Valarie Kaur. I’m only halfway through, but it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. Valarie Kaur is a civil rights activist, …
Reflection
Every day this week has been a really long year or two, huh? I don’t know about you, but I sense myself becoming more anxious by the minute. The impact of the Coronavirus has quickly disrupted our lives and our …
Building a Dream Into a Beloved Community
The speeches, sermons, and writings of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. have impacted my soul, changed my thinking, and challenged my actions. His book Strength to Love, within which I have underlined almost every page in the book, has …
I’m a Bowl
Almost a decade ago, I received a small wooden bowl as a gift from a coworker. For Christmas, she presented each member of our staff a bowl that was accompanied by a small laminated piece of paper with instructions on …
The Kindness of Comedy
In a previous article I shared how much I love a good social documentary, but I also love some good stand-up comedians. Whether it’s Ellen DeGeneres or Robin Williams, Jim Gaffigan or Mitch Hedberg, Tig Notaro or Hasan Minhaj, Hannah …
The Hive that Cares Thrives
I’m a sucker for a good social documentary. Not too long ago, my wife and I watched one about bees. It doesn’t sound like the most thrilling Oscar-worthy film, but it surprisingly kept my attention, and I learned a lot …
Greet Everyone; See Everyone
Once, while I was living in New York City, I decided to say hello to people I would walk by on the street. As rough and gruff as New Yorkers can be, I thought it could be a simple way …