Let’s dream again
Moving towards a place and time where belief in our abilities to achieve a noble common purpose defeats the fears that turn hate into loathing.
Author: DJB
Roots music for ghosts, goblins, and other things that go bump in the night
The really grim and scary songs for Halloween were all hiding out in the roots music bin.
The information crisis
Steve Almond’s “Bad Stories” is a good book to revisit when considering our ongoing information crisis.
In praise of public libraries
In “Our Towns”, James and Deb Fellows found a surprisingly relevant bellwether institution: the public library.
Democracy is never permanent…and the work to keep it never ends
My series of observations on the lessons of history in the fight for democracy.
Great communities don’t remain that way by chance
Early in my preservation career, I was privileged to serve five years as the executive director of Virginia’s Historic Staunton Foundation, an award-winning preservation organization recognized over more than four decades for its work to protect and revitalize this historic Shenandoah Valley community. Our children were born during the 15 years we lived in Staunton, it shaped each of us in significant ways, and we still have deep friendships that bring us “home” several times each year. Just as we like to return to this gem of a community, visionary leadership has made Staunton a year-round destination for tens-of-thousands of visitors annually and has generated national recognition for the city, including more than forty awards and accolades for its historic downtown from national organizations and media in the past ten years. Some of the top ones include : The Great American Main Street Award A National Trust for Historic Preservation Award Best Small Towns in America Award (Smithsonian magazine) The 15 Most Beautiful Main Streets Across America (Architectural Digest) That level of success does not …
Paradise lost
Music is a language that helps us process loss. We have needed that language too often in 2020.
Disinformation and the threat to democracy
History tells us that fake news and disinformation are long-standing American traditions. They remain a threat to democracy.
Journeys that move us toward justice never end
Yesterday we took a walk through Brookside Gardens. It was a beautiful fall day, the colors were vibrant, and the air was clean. Along the path were small signs of “Garden Mindfulness” with reminders to “feel the air moving across your skin” and to “bring awareness to those parts of the body where you could feel the wind.” After a while we came upon a labyrinth placed in a tranquil meadow setting. As I slowly walked the curving stone path, I recalled the rules and morals of the practice from my reading of Rebecca Solnit’s delightful book Wanderlust: A History of Walking. “…sometimes you have to turn your back on your goal to get there, sometimes you’re farthest away when you’re closest, sometimes the only way is the long one. After the careful walking and looking down, the stillness of arrival was deeply moving.” In these troubled times, we are all on a difficult journey. It is important to recall that sometimes the only way is the long one. Work that is meaningful takes time …
Be a good boy…and follow your mother’s advice
The story of the ratification of the 19th amendment – giving women the right to vote – has connections to Tennessee and a historic hotel in Nashville.
MORE TO COME... 