It is a sad day for humanity. Another sad day on top of many others happening every day–many in places we hear about only obliquley and sometimes not at all. Paris is that much closer to home for most of us here and in Europe, but freedom and tolerance has to survive. Moral values have to be practiced and lived and embraced even more fully–quietly and humbly, not only in outrage.

Our greatest revenge is to constantly move forward, to grieve openly. A flurry of bombs wrought on ISIS will feel justified, but it is, as Thoreau wrote, “A thousand striking at the branches of evil to one striking at the root.” I admit that I don’t know exactly what the root is, but I know that the evil of collective thought springs from a selfish and righteous ignorance.

We are–or should be–the collective billions of humanity who give a damn about each other and who live in common with each other, but it seems like we react more than we act. We do not sense the power of our commanality. My day has been spent raking leaves, cutting wood and fixing a hot water heater. I will sing tonight at the inn the same as I have for thousands of nights before.

I have to feel that how I live is sustainable and real and imbued with purpose.

What more can I or we do? I ask that sincerely…