Leader’s Blog
The Spirit of Play
Our "ethics matters" theme for June has been "play," although I think of that more as an over-arching theme for June, July, and August. Like other mammals, we play when we are young -- and sometimes when we are not so young. What are you doing to keep the spirit of...
Doing Our Part for Democracy
Democracy means rule of the people, where a majority can take action, while protecting the rights of vulnerable minorities. But democracy doesn't work if the people don't speak up. There's another election coming up this month in New York City. I urge you, if you...
Making Life Better
It happened more than 20 years ago, but I can remember it like it was yesterday. One of those moments so powerful, yet so simple. I was driving down a city street I’d driven down hundreds of times before. The light was green, and I drove through it. I think I’m always mindful when I’m driving of what’s going on around me, even when the light is green.
The Story of Love
I've been thinking a lot about love lately. Not the kind of intimate partner love (though I'm glad to have that in my life), but the expansive love that is wider than our personal relationships. The Revolutionary Love conference reminded me again of the power of...
Hate Has No Home Here
Writing as the Leader of the Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture, I am saddened at the outbreak of antisemitism over the last few days, as synagogues and Jewish centers were vandalized, including the latest incident Sunday night. As I write this, it seems...
Emotions: A Humanist and Ethical Culture Perspective
To be a humanist means in part to accept that we are human beings, not angelic beings or robots. We are messes of emotion and reason, and sometimes the two are hard to separate. As Ben Franklin said (with updated language): “People are reasonable animals. We can find...
A Lifetime of Becoming
This week, I thought I'd share some personal reflections on "becoming." Many of you will have your own stories, and maybe (since May is "story" month at RYSEC) you might also consider putting your story of becoming into writing. Or digital words. You can become...
To Become, Let It Go
If you've got young children at home -- especially if they're girls -- you likely have heard the "Let It Go" song from the musical Frozen a few hundred times. Demi Lovato also recorded a pop version. If you don't know the song, there's a version included below. The...
Lessons Learned
"The base of all things is love, respect." -- Vickie Downey, TEWA/Tesuque Pueblo In 1992, almost 30 years ago and near the beginning of my work as an Ethical Culture Leader, I attended a workshop supposedly about "Native American Spirituality and Lore." Because I'd...