And my privileges place me also Amid the mass delusion That sees nothing of itself In that man on the horse.
The man on the horse
Category: CULTURE
Nuclear family can’t contain or constrain fatherly love
If we shatter the lie that fathers exist only within the structure of nuclear family — if we decolonize family, we open possibilities for responsibility, care, resources, and love. People benefit when community encourages men to father as a verb, rather than restricting it to a noun. There, fathers abound.
An Earthling’s Earth Day Prayer
Who are we if not Earthlings? I don't want Mars. I don't want ever-present WiFi. I want Earth to remain untamed, out of our control. We’ve proven ourselves unworthy stewards for now -- we don’t get to expand this unsustainable domain.
It may be an unpopular opinion, but I hope Earth always checks us before we change her for good. Like a loving but stern mother, it is my belief she will.
Her Heart Belongs to the Land
You can’t have something you can’t imagine, and you can’t imagine something if you don’t believe you belong. My roots are in the land -- my ancestors’ souls rest there. We may not “own” much land, but ownership in this lifetime does not override the yearning and the knowing and the belonging of a soul.
The Weight
When things are better, when I’m in flow, when I am outside often, when I'm creating, sharing, connecting – it’s much easier for food not to be the thing I look forward to, which makes controlling my bodyweight easier. That cycle isn’t unique to me. We all go through ebbs and flows of feeling uninspired, feeling stuck -- it’s completely normal. The added pressure of fearing the accompanying physical weight is what makes the ebbs of life feel harder.
More On Hair
Straight hair signals a closer proximity to whiteness, and I wonder, is that playing the game, or is it selling out? I suspect it comes down to how I use it and how I internalize it. If I know who I am, and that I am just playing with dead follicles on top of my head, am I selling out? I don’t know the answer.
Calling All Christians’ Attention to the Border
I grew up surrounded by a loving, powerful, Christian community -- there are many like it all over the U.S. I was supported, I was loved, and I was taken care of. People in my community knew that it was their responsibility not just to take care of their own kids, but of all the … Continue reading Calling All Christians’ Attention to the Border
A Part Remains in Calaveras
Leaving Calaveras is never easy for me, but as I drove away that night, with the hills in my rearview and the moon guiding me with her light, I couldn’t help but beam with tremendous gratitude, both for my connection to such a beautiful place, and to the people who enrich that beauty with a combination of valuable skills and intuitive humanity.
Young, Gifted, and Black? Prepare to Fight for Your Education
When I moved from California to Texas at age four, I was reading full books and writing at a 1st- grade level. After being iced out of one upscale community that wasn’t keen on having a single black mother as a neighbor, my mom moved us into a different district, specifically for its public schools. … Continue reading Young, Gifted, and Black? Prepare to Fight for Your Education
How is The Bachelor OK?
Today is international women's day, and next Monday is The Bachelor finale. The juxtaposition of the two events on my social feeds already had me thinking, but then a friend posted a Facebook meme that asked a fundamental question about The Bachelor, and the people who watch it. The meme reads: The bachelor is … Continue reading How is The Bachelor OK?
Courtney McKinney 