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

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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Shake Hands & Swing Hammers

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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Be the Chicken or the Egg

We often want to know what “started it.” We want to know what is the chicken and what is the egg. We do need to analyze what is happening. But sometimes our desire for complete understanding keeps us from acting. In a recent book by Robert Putnam, The Upswing, he shows how our nation went…

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New Orientation

I almost always know what direction I am facing. As I write this, I am facing north by northeast. I learned this skill when I was driving a wheat truck in sixth grade. The farm I worked on was in the Palouse hills, and the farmers owned thousands of acres. They would tell me to…

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Antidote to Polarization

Our team and I recently attended the Episcopal General Convention to promote our Potluck for Democracy, our media, and my book, “Go and Do Likewise.” Both at the convention and here locally, some have asked if a religious organization should “engage in politics.” First, this question highlights how the poison of negativity and polarization has…

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Deep Breath

This spring has been so busy for PTU. We are now moving into a phase of spreading the word about the Potluck across the nation. We want to help individuals and community organizations to find their power to come together and strengthen our democracy and communities. Hannah, Ean (our Director of Media), and I will…

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