May I Recommend Fasting and Meditation

I follow the Mormon practice of a once-monthly 24-hour period of abstaining from food and drink. I fast on the first Sunday of every month.

This practice is accompanied by a charitable contribution equal at least to the value of the forgone food but often more when my circumstances permit. I also meditate (pray) on particularly vexing life decisions or problems during this time.

To the devout, agnostic, and atheist I commend this practice with full confidence in positive results. The fast steels the will and purifies the body. The meditation, especially with a mind freed from sugary influence, brings clarity and direction. The charity provides a sustaining connection to community.

I am so thankful to my church for introducing me to this practice and for providing regular encouragement to continue.

German Risk Tolerance and The Enduring Power of Frozen

I will never accept German insistence on my going inside to pay for gas as other than backwards. Then, there are many cultural practices that are neither better nor worse, just eternally "other." For example, I will never get used to nudity in public parks. On the other hand, many German norms are unambiguously superior.

Helicopter parenting has not yet arrived in Germany. Children as young as age six ride their bikes all about town with no parent in sight. Free range parenting. In general, German risk tolerance regarding their children is very high. Playgrounds have climbing apparatus but no safety nets or even padding on which to fall. If you fall, you get hurt, which quickly teaches one not to fall.

We went to an amusement park yesterday. Very few park employees. When the first child in line gets in the seat, she fastens her belt and then signals that she is ready. Then the next child in line pushes the button to send the seat flying into the air. The kids handle the logistics themselves, and, get this, it totally works. I love this aspect of German culture.

Separately, the boys were fighting on and on after the park trying to select a movie to watch. I grew weary of their whining and just turned on Frozen without telling them or even asking their opinion. After a minute, they realized what it was, complained much about how they were so tired of it and how "Frozen is so old" and "is for girls." Then they watched the entire movie, grinning, giggling, and singing along to the whole thing.

I thought so.

USA Summer

Katie and the kids had a great (if unplanned) summer in the U.S. Photo overload below:

Caleb declared James his coolest uncle. Not that it's a competition.

Where the Harts of Boston began