There is so much digital chatter about a divide between two groups in this country that I call home. While I do see clear delineations on certain issues, there is more to the story. There is more to us, my fellow humans and I, than some cookie-cutter distinction between two groups for an entire setContinue reading “The True Third Party”
Category Archives: freedom
31 for 41: Fight or Flight
Dear Donovan, I can imagine that learning how to be a good man can be tough. There are so many difficult decisions to be made. When is telling what you know about someone the right thing to do, and when is it snitching? When do you step away from a situation, and when do youContinue reading “31 for 41: Fight or Flight”
31 for 41: Little Hands
Dear Donovan, During the time that I stayed at home with the twins, I was able to enjoy watching them pop up each morning, ready for the day. They awoke each day happy and optimistic, even before they could voice this optimism. I cannot remember what prompted the thought, but one morning as I watchedContinue reading “31 for 41: Little Hands”
31 for 41: Shifting Piles
Dear Donovan, I like nice things. You know I am a self-proclaimed clearance shopping professional. When I spot something I like in a store, I see lots of possibilities for its use. In addition, I quickly and firmly attach sentimental value to items that are given to me. These traits can be useful, but theyContinue reading “31 for 41: Shifting Piles”
31 for 41: Let it go
Dear Donovan, When I was in third grade, I received my first academic award. It was actually an award for a regional writing contest, and I wrote about pollution in a creek. I received both a trophy and the praise of people that I loved. More awards came later, and I began to define myContinue reading “31 for 41: Let it go”
31 for 41: The Pursuit of Happiness
Dear Donovan, The fourth day of July is just an ordinary day in Bolivia. That’s where I spent our Independence Day in 1998. There were no fireworks or cookouts in the rural town of Colon Sur, of course. The only celebration was just three young college girls from the United States enjoying some strawberry sodaContinue reading “31 for 41: The Pursuit of Happiness”
31 for 41: Why I Stand
Dear Donovan, In 2001, during my senior year at UNC-Chapel Hill, I spent spring break on the Cherokee Reservation in North Carolina. A group of students was there to do service projects, and one of our conversations had been around the efforts to preserve and revive the beautiful Cherokee language. One day, a lady whoContinue reading “31 for 41: Why I Stand”
31 for 41: Politically Correct but Socially Unkind
Dear Donovan, I don’t have to tell you that many humans seek to label other humans. With a white mom and a Dominican dad, you have lived it. You witness people trying to balance their desire to be politically correct with a sincere curiosity. Because you have been viewed as white, Latino, and mixed, youContinue reading “31 for 41: Politically Correct but Socially Unkind”
My 3 