Our May Touchstones theme is “Reconciliation.” Conciliation is a word that is rarely used. Its Latin root refers to “a connection, union, or bond.” It is an act of overcoming … Continue reading May 2023 Touchstones: Reconciliation
The sadness felt palpable, hitting me when I didn’t expect it. I had never really experienced the death of a close loved one before my mother so I’m not sure … Continue reading Grief as Teacher
Our April Touchstones theme is “Grief.” While many do not want to explore grief, people may experience grief with few resources and little wisdom. Myths about grief and messages that … Continue reading April 2023 Touchstones: Grief
Our March Touchstones theme is “Trust.” As Martin Buber wrote, human beings are promise-making, promise-keeping, promise-breaking, and promise-renewing creatures. We evoke trust, fulfill it, betray it, and then seek to … Continue reading March 2023 Touchstones: Trust
I once read an article that talked about animal behavior when they feel threatened. For many, when they don’t feel like there’s anything more they can do to protect themselves, … Continue reading I Get Knocked Down, I Get Up Again
Our February Touchstones theme is “Resilience.” Resilience is the capacity to deal with adversity, trauma, stress, significant change, and other challenging life experiences, including illness, job loss, heartbreak, family problems, … Continue reading February 2023 Touchstones: Resilience
Happy New Year! It’s funny when you think about it that humans celebrate the revolution of the planet. Really, the new year is an arbitrary point on our calendar chosen … Continue reading Finding Meaning in the New Year
Our January Touchstones theme is “Wintering.” Wintering is the process of navigating winter, a season that is, in many ways, a time of regeneration. Of course, there is the external … Continue reading January 2023 Touchstones: Wintering
In November, I attended a minister retreat at The Mountain in Highland, North Carolina. The bulk of our programming was centered around processing and discussing proposed changes to article II … Continue reading Minister’s Musings: The Joy of Rethinking the Seven Principles
Our December Touchstones theme is “Joy.” We certainly know joy when we feel it, but it is challenging to capture its essence in words. Joy and happiness are often considered … Continue reading December 2022 Touchstones: Joy
