Life's Summits and Valleys -- NHBR Column

I recently wrote about embracing change as my wife and I emptied our house of 36 years. But sometimes we face changes we cannot avoid -- like the recent death of my brother at age 71. David was a vibrant and loving personality, a retired Episcopal priest who had the misfortune of suffering from an aggressive cancer. We spoke daily by phone in his final months, and I was struck by his positivity and always asking about my day. Some 300 attended his funeral, including 17 family members who came down with Covid, including me. On the positive side, the illness kept us talking!

I recovered in time for a planned trip to the Braver Angels national convention on the sacred ground of Gettysburg, PA. Braver Angels (braverangels.org) envisions an America with respectful embrace of political disagreements, where civic friendship flourishes and competing perspectives strengthen our nation. I recalled a lesson from many years of mountaineering: its essence is less about getting to the top and more about embracing the experience. A united country where people with different opinions treat each other respectfully may seem like a very high summit these days, but each step can make a difference. Jonathan Rauch, a conference speaker, said: “Helping people to feel empowered and not feel helpless is the core of the Braver Angels work.”  

You can read the full column at https://www.nhbr.com/lifes-summits-and-valleys/