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Monday, November 14, 2016

Break Bread not Each Other

In ten days, it will be Thanksgiving in the U.S. This is the quintessential American family holiday. It has been so established that Norman Rockwell’s “Freedom from Want” still features prominently in the nation’s psyche.


And that holiday unleashes the proverbial “holiday season” that includes a variety of sacred days to a handful of religions plus cultural celebrations, all trying to elicit unity and peace and goodwill. Celebrations may include St. Nicholas’ Day, St. Lucia’s Day, the winter solstice, Christmas, St. Stephen’s Day, Festivus, Hogswatch, Pancha Ganapati, Saturnalia, Soyal, Hanukkah, Yule, Boxing Day, Kwanzaa, New Year’s…

Sadly, this year there is additional political strife that threatens to take over our lives in their entirety.

Perhaps you may want to consider traveling to any of the states that have approved recreational marijuana, and call any pipe a ceremonial one, share some weed and make peace. 


Pick a state: Alaska, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Nevada, Washington, or the District of Columbia. Phish background music optional.

(My apologies to Native Americans for the cultural appropriation— 
especially as we end the year about to break yet another treaty.)

I hope that we can remember that there are still many things we can be grateful and thankful for, and that we have more incentives to come together than justifications for disunity.

Whether you make a turkey or tofurky, break bread with a pure heart and remember to be good to one another. Whether you celebrate with family, friends, or offering your presence to those who need a helping hand, give the empathy you expect.

I am not asking you to let go of your principles, but simply that you halt hostilities long enough to share a meal and build each other up rather than tear each other apart.

Share a basket of delicious breadsticks!








Fight the power, if you must, but never lose track of the fact that you can do that without attacking one another. To paraphrase the Dalai Lama, be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. Find the way.