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By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

The fight continues as the battle rages. In my lifetime, I have never seen nor experienced such bifurcation in politics and between and within our political “parties.” It all seems and feels unending, and who knows what (bad) news lurks just around the corner, pregnant and waiting for the release of the next news cycle? Am I the only one out there who feels exhausted and exasperated? The never-ending element of all this “news” has begun to feel like being forced to watch — and live — in that iconic Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day. Over and over we go, doomed in a way to recapitulate all that happened yesterday again today until, and if, we learn and integrate our lessons into our lives.

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

Every positive change — every jump to a higher level of energy and awareness — involves a rite of passage. Each time to ascend to a higher rung on the ladder of personal evolution, we must go through a period of discomfort, of initiation. I have never found an exception. ~ Dan Millman

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

We all learn at some point in life that nothing is permanent, all is transient. This is a powerful and poignant life lesson when it comes to us, usually through some major loss or transition. Growing up, I always thought that what I had and who I had around me would always be there. As I grow into my late 60s, I find that I’ve had to relearn and reframe that thinking — loss and change are a daily occurrence that somehow I must adjust to. It is a way of life for all of us.

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

“Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us.” — Oscar Wilde

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

Black Lives Matter. Yes, they do, and they should — without condition. All lives matter; there is no changing that sacrosanct truth. Despite all that this presidential administration seems to believe in and act on, the mattering of all humans is paramount in our democracy — no ifs, ands, or buts. That Donald Trump and his cronies cherry-pick who’s “in” and who’s “out” is an activated insult and outright affront to all that most of us believe and covet.

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

In past columns, I’ve explored and expressed the need to focus on important aspects of our lives such as patience, empathy, slowing down, curiosity, creativity, and intimacy. I want to add one to that list that matters much in this era of human history. Given:

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

This period of time can be seen as suffocating and paralyzing for many. We’re in trouble, our country is hurting big time, and many are suffering. At times like this, people have a stark choice to make — how and do we move forward?

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

In the last two months, the gloves have come off. The not-so-new administration in D.C. and governmental leadership in many states across our union have shown their true colors. So, too, our court system. They are intent on doing as much damage as possible to as many individuals, organizations and systems as they can, whether legal or not.

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

Becoming a responsible adult is a decades-long, uneven, challenging process. It takes human beings longer than any other living being to emerge into a state of independence and autonomy. Most people spend at least 10 to 20 years in school, learning the skills, knowledge and values that will serve us and our families and communities in good stead, hopefully for the betterment of our world.

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

The mission of Training Active Bystanders is to weave the language and process of creative problem-solving into the fabric of the community by training active bystanders and teaching conflict resolution skills, and by implementing other forms of innovative dispute resolution. — Training Active Bystanders organizational mission statement

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

These are simply and profoundly crazy times, well beyond the pale of what we have seen before concerning the leadership of our federal government. Whatever other words we may use, I imagine that terms like chaos, terror, fear, intimidation, lies out of control, unrepentant anger, petulance, and obfuscation might be among them (at least, those are some of my more polite ones).

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

We’ve come to February. This is what I have come to call “The Dregs of Winter.” If I can generalize a bit, I’d say most of us are now “officially” tired of winter, the chill, the winds, icy walkways and sidewalks, driveways, and elsewhere, and still too little sun. There, I’ve done it, framed winter in a (temporary) negative light. Now, that’s out of the way. Do you agree? I know there are folks out and about who love all (or most) of what winter is and represents, and there can never be too much winter for them. I’m not in that camp, less so as I age (and particularly now, as I am recuperating from spinal compression fusion surgery from a month ago).

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

Most of us awakened this morning with an awareness of the magnitude of this particular day in history. Whether we intended to or not, we have come to and through this day knowing that we are bearing witness to a significant political event (or spectacle) that will impact our lives greatly, whether we like it — or not. Whether we are activated, agitated, or holding any other feelings about today’s inaugural events, our democratic republic moves on (or so we can hope.).

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

We’ve said our goodbye’s to 2024, a year many couldn’t wait to see end. And still, many are dreading the anticipation of the year ahead. I’d like to put both on temporary hold in order to offer gratitude for a few local events and people whose...

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

“A sense of curiosity is nature’s original school of education.” — Unknown We are born into the world unknowing but highly curious. It is our curiosity that enables us to survive our earliest hours and days. At birth we lack the vocabulary to express...

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

Upheaval. Chaos, confusion. Radical change. The “New World Order.” The “new normal? However we frame it, we are in turbulent times — and are headed for more of the same.Do we need to adjust to it? Or do we make the changes needed to maintain our...

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

Giving thanks is a personal and intimate decision. There is no formula to follow or equation to guide any of us. I cannot dictate to anyone why or for whom they should feel and express gratitude, and no one can advise me as to what I should be...

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

Today I ask a critical question that impacts the lives of so many people — both here and around our world. My question is “What is it to feel safe, and how do we get and stay there?” I have no easy answer nor any platitudes to offer, but especially...

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

We are a week and a day from the 2024 presidential and down-ballot election. Never in our lives has more been at stake. The choice of presidential candidates is more stark and profound than at any time in U.S. history. Clearly, there are major...

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

 “To be or not to be? That is the question.” — William Shakespeare As we rapidly approach the national date of decision on Nov. 5, many of us are intensifying our interest in and concern about what the news media is feeding us entering the 2024...

By DANIEL CANTOR YALOWITZ

“A deep sense of love and belonging is an irreducible need of all people. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong.” — Brene BrownOnce upon a time, earlier in this century, I was dean of...