International events this year will be shaped by nationalism; policies will pursue primarily narrow self interest. Nationalism substitutes protectionism for globalization and free trade. It explains both Brexit and Boris Johnson. It rejects Obama's multilateralism for Trump's "America First." It drove the global shift from pro to anti immigration policies. It explains at least some of the assertive, even aggressive, foreign policies that have caused such seismic shocks. BusinessWeek observes

Mary Oliver was a gift. That is the simplest way to put it. She became my friend as a gift -- a wall-hanging shaped like a small box, painted with a colorful stack of old-fashioned suitcases. Around the edges is a quote from Mary Oliver asking: “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Perfect words as we all reset our calendar clocks. When I got that gift Mary Oliver was just a name. I loved her words but did not know her. Exactly one year ago today she died. She was 83.

You know when you read something powerful, and it just sticks with you? Recently my sister, who teaches yoga, shared this important message: “you deserve to take up space, on and off the mat.” A number of studies have found that men are far more likely than women to command the use of their personal space. And this is not simply due to differences in size or anatomy. The essay “Power, Gender, and Group Discussion” was published in the journal Advances in Political Psychology in 2016. It says in

Even as I read about the violent actions in the M iddle E ast, I am reminded that the choices of the adults in power today impact the tomorrows of the younger generation. I believe we cannot simultaneously prepare for peace and plan for war. We are either for one or the other, and where we place our vision determines actions. Violence never leads to peace and prosperity, a recurring lesson from every war throughout history. Those who say the recent bombings send a message and will protect

Happy new year, listeners. Life can be challenging at times, but sometimes it is more than just feeling down. Depression is a common, serious, treatable mental health illness that affects 7% of adults and teens. Depression is not simply a bad mood, but a chemically-based phenomenon that needs more than just a good ear or strong shoulder to cry on. Oftentimes friends and family do not know how to help a struggling loved one, typically assuming the problem is simply emotional, not chemical.

Several decades ago, I was staying at my sister’s when her house caught fire, a harrowing experience that left a deep imprint. Now my adoptive country is an inferno, and I can’t fathom the news and what I'm hearing from my friends there. I lived in Australia for seven years until the end of 2001. Although I was working, I had the sense of being on perpetual holiday - - the flora and fauna so diverse and colorful; the rainbow lorikeets and crimson rosellas; eucalypti, like the brilliant ghost gum

The dictionary defines "sanctuary" as a place of worship, or a place of refuge and protection. Recently, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, a mosque there became both. When high school student Duaa Ahmad and her classmates evacuated their school after a threatening incident, she led them directly across the street to her mosque, where she quickly got the doors open and took refuge inside with the others. As the students of all faiths entered, no one was subjected to a theological purity test. No one was

My son recently scolded me for the lack of D.E.A.R. in my life. It turns out that his elementary school has a program called Drop Everything And Read , when everyone in his class stops all activities to read for a set period of time. Apparently, I need to do the same. As a child I was a voracious reader, and while I still read every day, I no longer can dedicate entire afternoons to devouring novels. Fortunately, my son has the luxury to get lost in a book, and I envy his ability to tune

The holiday shopping is over and everyone is busy playing with their new toys. But what was remarkable about Christmas 2019 might have been the conspicuous absence of such toys. Previous holiday seasons saw the introduction of impressive technological wonders -- tablet computers, the iPhone, Nintendo Wii and the X-box. But this year, there was no stand-out, got-to-have technological object. On the one hand, this may actually be a good thing. The amount of waste generated by discarded consumer

On the night after Christmas, I was ice fishing on Carlin Lake near Presque Isle, what they call “Wisconsin’s Last Wilderness.” Part bored, and part cold, I gazed across the dark lake at the warm lights of the Carlin Lake Lodge. Ernest Hemingway and John Wayne had both lodged here back in the day, evidently. Imagine those two in the same room. I noticed that I had a flag up on my tip-up. Finally. I knelt to set the hook. As I drew up the line, hand over hand, I felt something heavy, and I peered