Blog Posts

Repairing Our Foundations

November 5, 2024

When I was in 4th grade, we discovered a problem with our house’s foundation. There was a soft spot in the kitchen floor. During construction, they hadn’t removed enough dirt, leading to high humidity and poor air circulation. As a result, some of the posts and beams in the house were rotting. But there was…

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A Deep Breath – and then Let’s Get to Work

October 29, 2024

As the election approaches, many of us are deeply focused on the outcome. Which direction will our nation go? No matter the result, here at Paths to Understanding, we know our work remains. In his book Upswing, Robert Putnam presents a revealing list of key factors that contribute to a strong and unified nation: His…

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Honoring Kay Knott, Upper Skagit Elder and PTU Volunteer

October 23, 2024

Kay Knott is an elder in the Upper Skagit Tribe and a key volunteer with Paths to Understanding (PTU). I first met Kay when she reached out to learn more about PTU’s work. We had lunch and there was an immediate connection. At first, she came just to listen to how we bring people together…

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Our Turn

October 10, 2024

As I sit at my desk, I have a picture of PTU’s founders, Rabbi Levine and Father Treacy, before me and another one behind me. One I see on my office wall, and one I see whenever I’m recording video messages about PTU’s mission. It has now been two years since Father Treacy was received…

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The Great Connecting

October 1, 2024

Fifty percent of people in the United States report feeling lonely. Groups are disconnected from one another and trust between us is low. Seventy-five percent of Americans are concerned about the future of our democracy. Alarmingly, four percent say they are ready to use political violence to “save the nation.” Yet, something is happening in…

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First Followers are Leaders

September 24, 2024

Years ago, I watched a video about how movements begin. It showed a man dancing wildly at the Gorge Amphitheater near Vantage, WA. The video highlights the power of the first followers. I call them the second and third leaders. If the man dancing with abandon is alone, he’s just a loner. But when the…

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Shake Hands & Swing Hammers

September 17, 2024

For the second year in a row, Paths to Understanding (PTU) was an official partner of Habitat for Humanity’s Interfaith Build in King County. More than 100 volunteers worked on the Yarrow Cottages housing community in South Park. Volunteers from Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, and Jewish communities came together, guided by their shared values for the…

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Complication of Affiliation

September 8, 2024

In a 2018 interview with a progressive radio station in Spokane, I was asked if there was islamophobia on the left. It was a thoughtful question and one that took courage to ask. I respected that. Part of my response was to acknowledge that there is, indeed, some anti-religious bigotry in the United States. Some…

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I and We

August 28, 2024

We all know we’ve gone too far down the path of “me, myself, and I.” This has left us lonely, afraid, and feeling a lack of meaning, missing the mystery and beauty of the world around us. We were told that greed is good, but now we’re hungry for something greater—a common good. It might…

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