RECENT POSTS
The Power of Saying Thank You
One way to make your day better today: say thank you. One way to make another person’s day better today: say thank you. It’s one
Is John 5 Ableist?
I’m grateful for questions from readers, and here’s a question asking how to teach John 5 in a way that isn’t ableist: Question: Is John
S6 E12 | How to Cultivate Racial Healing with David M. Bailey
In the wake of Tyre Nichols’ death in Memphis, David M. Bailey, founder of Arrabon, talks with Amy Julia Becker about the long, deep,
When One Child Needs More Attention
I’ve been receiving some great questions from readers lately, and I wanted to share my answers to some of the questions that might apply to
3 Pieces of Advice for Parents of a Child With Down Syndrome
I have some advice for you! Here are three things I would do differently as the parent of a child with Down syndrome: 1. Pay
Heroin(e): We Are All Broken and Beautiful
I’m lying in my bed today because I just had oral surgery. It’s not a big deal, but the anesthesia wipes me out, and it
False Message: Disability is an inspiration.
Disability is NOT an inspiration. FALSE MESSAGE: Disability is an inspiration to make other people feel good. WHERE THIS FALSE MESSAGE SHOWS UP: Books. Magazines.
Reading Black Literature as American Literature
I first read Toni Morrison’s Beloved in high school. It was one of the only books I had ever read by a Black author. I
Active Listening in the Wake of Tyre Nichols
In the wake of the violent death of Tyre Nichols – a young man who died as a result of injuries sustained due to a
Happy 12th Birthday, Marilee!
Marilee recently pulled out the measuring stick we use for our family and said, “Look at me in 2016! I’ve grown so much!” And then
Finding Places Where Everyone Belongs
Where everyone belongs. That’s the dream. That’s the hope. That’s the space and the community and the future we long for. Sometimes we catch glimpses
To Be Made Well and Disability
When we look at the stories of Jesus with people with disabilities in the Bible, it can seem like a really simple equation. Disability=bad. Curing=good.
Develop Your Spirituality by Starting Small
What if we had a way to alleviate depression and anxiety, to protect against substance abuse and self-harm? What if there were answers to the
False Message: Disability is a joke to be laughed at.
Images, words, and attitudes all shape our implicit impressions of people with disabilities, and many of those words and images create false understandings. We’ve looked
S6 E11 | Chronic Pain’s Untold Story with Dr. Haider Warraich
Pain is more than a physical sensation; it has cultural, relational, and spiritual dimensions as well. Dr. Haider Warraich, a cardiologist and the author of
Healing’s Upward, Outward, Expansive Spiral
Healing often feels like a circle, where we tiptoe slowly forward and return to the same place. Where we think we’ve made progress, and then
Disability and Respect: Look Her in the Eye
I’m so grateful for the technician at the eye doctor appointment who assumes that Penny can speak for herself. I’m also aware of how surprised
Domestic Monastery
“Raising small children, if it is done with love and generosity, will do for you exactly what private prayer does.” –Ronald Rolheiser, Domestic Monastery I
False Message: Disability is a tragedy to be alleviated.
When it comes to disability, we receive many erroneous and incomplete messages from the media and popular culture. Here’s the second of four false messages
Interdependent Healing
My new year has started off with heavy news from multiple friends. One whose husband moved out. Another who lost her job. Another whose sister
3 Reasons I’m Grateful for the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wasn’t a perfect man. He didn’t have unflagging faith. His faith began as a more abstract intellectual pursuit and
