Guest Blogggers & Interviews

By: Judy Nagy No person feels more alone than when they are hit full-force with a sudden crisis: illness, death of a loved one, a divorce, or financial ruin can cause unbearable suffering. A generation or two ago, when families were faced with difficulties, they could turn to the extended family for support. Grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters were often comfortingly close and could provide support for their own. But the world has changed. Families are spread across the globe; not down the street. Communication is digital; not around a kitchen table. Neighbors wave to each other as they head out to work; but they often don’t know each others’ names. We have become busy, fast-paced, independent of our community. But, when a crisis drops a brick wall smack in front of our face, we have no choice but to come to a dead halt. We have no choice but to admit that we need help to climb that wall. Judy will be hosting a workshop at the international Awakening Festival, June 18, 2011: [...]

Musings on Life by Roselle Kovitz If we can shift our thoughts and actions toward kindness, toward compassion, I believe that it can become a habit. Each small gesture—a smile, a kind word, a helping hand—can and often does make a difference. It certainly has for me. I remember the time a friend started calling me every week when I was diagnosed with cancer or another who spontaneously invited me to stay with her family when I was going through a divorce. The kindness of those gestures, and so many others, remains with me years later. Right now, there’s a great opportunity to join with others around the world who are bringing compassion to the center of their lives. The Charter for Compassion, an international movement initiated by author Karen Armstrong, is encouraging individuals, grassroots and national organizations, cities, and countries to make compassion part of the fabric of personal, professional, and civic life. Karen Armstrong is the prolific author of numerous books on religious affairs—including A History of God, The Great Transformation, The Gospel According to Women, A Time to Keep [...]