In this episode, I reflect on what my determined three-year-old taught me about power, partnership, and shared dignity. Honoring Women’s History Month, I explore the work of Riane Eisler and her vision of moving from domination to partnership—beginning in our families and rippling outward. What if the real strength of a society is not who holds the most power, but how power is held?
Stitching a Country Together
Remembering the legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson at the close of Black History Month. Not through campaigns or controversy, but through a story he often told about his grandmother—a woman who couldn’t afford a blanket and stitched scraps into a quilt to keep her family warm. What might it mean to “stitch a country together” in our own time? This episode explores our shared desire to hold onto a dream, to stitch together differences, and to choose warmth over separation.
Taking the Helm
From the childhood hardships of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt to Viktor Frankl’s reminder that we always retain the freedom to choose our response, this week’s Cuppa Joy explores the narrow but powerful space between event and response — and the moment we realize we have a say in the outcome.
Welcoming the Whole Enchilada
Why is it often easier to enjoy what a culture creates than to welcome the people themselves? As I reflect during Black History Month, I share some honest thoughts about tribal instincts, widening our circles, and a quiet conviction that love keeps refusing to give fear the final word.
Walking for Peace
reflect on the Walk for Peace—a long-distance pilgrimage led by Buddhist monks walking from Texas through the southern and eastern states toward Washington, D.C. Through quiet presence, simple teachings, crying babies, and a beloved peace dog named Aloka, the monks offer a lived reminder that peace is not an abstract idea, but a daily practice. It’s a gentle invitation to notice where peace is already walking among us—and how we might walk with it.
Living Tenderly in a Troubled World
Thoughts on friendship, life’s choices, and the small human connections that quietly hold a troubled world together. From birthday phone calls and baking bread to a story of grassroots kindness, this episode explores how living tenderly in our own small corners can make a meaningful difference.
The Words We Cherish Over Time
Reflections on the power of words to shape memory, meaning, and connection across time—a gentle invitation to slow down, listen inward, and cherish the words that help us remember who we are. Inspired by Robert Frost’s moving appearance at President Kennedy’s inauguration, I explore how poetry and writing live not only on the page, but in the body, the heart, and our shared human story.
Finding Joy in the Midst of Sadness
(Prefer to listen? Tap here) Finding Joy in the Midst of Sadness How do we respond when someone we love is experiencing deep sadness? Drawing from friendship, grief, and recent…
New Year’s Resolutions Reimagined
A man begins with a single red paperclip and, through curiosity, kindness, and persistence, trades his way to a house. It’s a surprising story that invites us to rethink New Year’s resolutions—not as rigid goals, but as something that unfolds through connection and possibility.