The Buddha on Appearance and Reality
As the Buddha said, “View this world as an ornamented and bejewelled royal chariot, by which fools are entranced, but which is meaninless to the wise.” –from Collected Teachings by Ajahn Chah
Locked in a Frame
When I was a child, we always sped through the Painted Desert in the Navajo Nation on our way to my grandparents’ house in Sun City, leaving nothing behind but the tailwinds from the car. I scanned that vast expanse of land and sky, the colors of the soil rich with brilliant pinks, muted reds, and sage green, the sky always a clear, crisp blue, colors as uncontainable and free
Fight with Cudgels by Francisco Goya
I see only forms that are lit up and forms that are not. There is only light and shadow. Francisco Goya From a conversation, quoted by L. Matheron, Goya, Paris, 1858
Cutting Down
“Widespread frost expected,” warns the forecaster. It’s past sunset. We’ve already had a morning of shimmering windshields. Hauling containers full of fragile plants into shelter for the night takes a lot of effort, and for what few days until the next crystalline visit. So, I decide to take my chances by draping everything in old bed clothes. “I’ll miss you if you’re gone in the morning,” I whisper as I
Ten Reasons to Dismantle Standardized Testing
In response to America’s continued lackluster performance on international standardized tests, along with stagnant growth here at home among the lower socioeconomic groups, the deep thinkers in public education press for more and more testing in our schools as a means of addressing the problem. In some ways the system can be likened to parents who just can’t accept that their kid isn’t the smartest in the class anymore. It
Being a First-Generation College Student
As a first-generation college student, I’m also the only member in my biological family to have attended and graduated high school. I see the promise of education very differently than my family. Knowledge is my sanctuary–it’s my safe place. I grew up witnessing both of my parents struggle with addiction, unemployment, and incarceration. Their relaxed and carefree views on life impacted the rest of the family. My brothers and sisters
