I decided to take on the topics of grief and loss at this time because I am always acutely aware, during the holiday season, of those in our communities who are in the midst of pain and struggle. Being in those “desert places” is hard at any time, but can be especially so when everyone around you seems to be in the…

This morning, a couple of thoughts on gratitude: First, I have learned recently that far from being just a cliché or a sentimental topic left over from quaint yesteryear, gratitude has become the stuff of modern science and psychology. The University of California at Berkley, for example, is in the midst of a multimillion dollar study on the science of gratitude, looking…