Thich Nhat Hanh, the Zen teacher, died today at age 95. His teachings have been influential in my life for many years, from first seeing his mindful walking practice in Los Angeles, to visiting the temple where he trained in Vietnam, to reading the the latest work inspired by his teachings, “Happy Teachers Change the… Continue reading Oneness
It’s Your Camino
I’ve written before about the Camino de Santiago, which is the journey thousands of pilgrims take every year to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Especially now, it feels like such journeys that build humanity are more important than ever. And even though we can’t all walk the Camino, one can join the peregrino community through the… Continue reading It’s Your Camino
A family photo
I had a great time talking with my nana this winter break about my heritage on her side. She shared this photo of my second great-grand uncle, Jose Ruiz, who rode as a general in the Division del Norte with Pancho Villa during the Mexican Revolution. Ruiz deserted Villa and left the army, which created… Continue reading A family photo
WWII: Poland 1939
When did World War II begin? Most people say September 1, 1939 with the Nazi invasion of Poland. Others say it was two days later when Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany. There are even more possibilities to consider if you think about Pearl Harbor, Czechia, Austria, Albania, Ethiopia, and China. I spoke… Continue reading WWII: Poland 1939
Organizing Communities with Faith
Three years ago I talked to my dad’s uncle, Fr. John Baumann, about community organizing and his role in founding PICO (now Faith in Action International). It was a great chance to get to know my family better and hear about some of his amazing experiences building an organization to help people. From the original… Continue reading Organizing Communities with Faith
Yearly Running Totals
Without a doubt, this year was a “recovery year” in terms of running. Though I ran three marathons and finished a year-long streak of everyday running, my total miles were way down and with eleven days left, it is unlikely I will hit 2,000. I spent a significant amount of time in 2021 working on… Continue reading Yearly Running Totals
Franco after the War
We are looking at the Spanish Civil War in my 20th Century History Class and it still seems remarkable to me that Franco remained in power and pivoted to an internationally respected (or at least tolerated) status. Here is a conversation I had with an expert on Spain on the Hour of History Podcast:
Little Changes make a Big Difference
December was always the month that traffic would go down at the Hour of History Podcast. People are much busier and the days seem shorter, so they consumer less entertainment. It reminds me of conversations I have had about the New Year being the worst time to make life changes. The days are short and… Continue reading Little Changes make a Big Difference
Mandala Art
Playing the violin, I learned that almost all of the scales you practice and tunes you learn are never performed for others. I still practice scales and plan to keep learning tunes.
Walk for Peace
Today, I joined a monthly peace walk in the Poplar neighborhood of Philadelphia. We started the walk at Chenrezig Tibetan Buddhist Center and walked from Marshall to Girard and 7th to Poplar and back. The folks at the TBC walk for peace the second Saturday of each month, led by the Dharma in Action Committee.… Continue reading Walk for Peace