Carl Schwarz, my great-great-grandfather In 1848, eighteen-year-old Carl Schwarz set out from Pomerania, Germany. He and his family crossed the Atlantic, settling in Lebanon, Wisconsin. They purchased 40 acres of land and built the house that eventually 5 generations of Carl’s family would inhabit. He and his family spoke German at home and in their…
What are we afraid of? I want every white relative, friend, and acquaintance to really wrestle with that question. When we see Black people protesting, resisting the violence of white supremacy, what causes us fear? Are we really worried about our own physical safety? The safety of the things we own? Or are we worried…
Sometimes it feels to me as if the spirit of the world has darkened, and sometimes it feels as if I am just more aware of the darkness that was here all along. In the past week, three stories have intersected to reinforce my perception of this darkness. The United States of America has just…
Will the circle be unbroken By and by Lord, by and by There's a better home awaiting In the sky Lord, in the sky. Is there a better home awaiting us in the sky? Under our feet? In some alternate dimension we can’t comprehend? There has always been this debate -- is heaven a place…
The coronavirus has altered life dramatically for all of us in a short time. In Illinois, as in many other states, we are required to wear masks in public indoor spaces -- grocery shopping, purchasing from other stores, picking up food from a restaurant. Outside, we are asked to maintain 6 feet of distance from…
Fellow white people -- Did you listen? Did you listen when they told you about Dontre Hamilton? When they told you about Eric Garner? Michael Brown? Tamir Rice? Did you read the stories they wrote about Freddie Gray, Philando Castile, Alton Stirling? Did you sit silently by when you heard of Stephon Clark, Rekia Boyd?…
I received an email from a high school friend recently, and he described us as “decidedly middle age”. It’s quite an apt description, although one that really makes me feel my years. Today is my 44th birthday, and I would feel fortunate to make 88. My grandparents passed when they were 76, 77, 86, and…
I had just boarded a flight from Hawaii back to the mainland, taking my window seat. I am not a prolific flyer, but I have been on plenty of flights throughout my life, so I was accustomed to the routine. I settled in and had a brief chat with the man next to me. I…
In gratitude to the nurses, doctors, and other health care providers who watch over us during this time. In gratitude to the grocery store workers, the delivery people, and the warehouse employees who keep essential goods flowing to our homes. In gratitude to the restaurant owners, chefs, and employees who provide delicious, nourishing food. In…
Spring is a time of tension -- the tension between the old world of winter and the new world of summer. The tension between death and rebirth. It is the time of year when new life springs forth from the hard ground. The trees bud, the leaves grow, the flowers bloom, the birds sing. We…
Entwining 