Sadly, our world seems so filled with conflict. This is not new of course; history is littered with a painful collection of international, religious, political, and, yes, interpersonal strife. Don’t all of us want to feel hopeful in the midst of this discord? Let’s listen to John Minahan’s heartfelt yearnings. John Minahan teaches English and psychology […]
Frederic Reamer
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This I Believe New England – Winter
Here we are, in the midst of yet another New England winter. For some, this stretch of months with early sunsets is filled with dread — frosty temperatures, snow piles to shovel, sluggish car engines, and ice patches to dodge. But for others of us, this wintry mix is the stuff of pure delight. Shimmering […]
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This I Believe New England – The Health of the Planet
There is so much to worry about in our world today: political turmoil, civil unrest, a pandemic, climate change. The list goes on . . . and on and on. All of us want to be hopeful, of course, as we stare down all of these challenges. Let’s listen to Curt Spalding’s sanguine words, as he reflects on […]
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This I Believe New England – Health Care Heroes
Our nation’s history is replete with inspiring and poignant examples of self-sacrifice on behalf of the commonweal. Soldiers have marched off to both popular and unpopular wars. Civil rights activists have stood in the face of massive injustice. Countless volunteers rallied following Hurricane Katrina and 9/11. And, today, we are surrounded by legions of health care professionals and other […]
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This I Believe New England – Hope for 2021
For many of us, our recent transition to a new year was filled with a complicated mix of relief, sorrow, gratitude, and hopefulness about what lies ahead. For that we can thank COVID-19. Underneath it all, don’t all of us yearn to be hopeful? The poet Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote “Hope smiles from the threshold of the […]
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This I Believe New England – Look for Inspiration
There’s no question that the COVID-19 pandemic has left so many of us feeling stuck with stay-at-home admonitions, frustrated by social- and physical-distancing protocols, and mired in sameness and more sameness. So many of us yearn for a break in the routines and precautions that have taken over our lives. DJ Johnson is here to implore […]
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This I Believe New England – Moments of Regret
Do any of our lives unfold without moments of regret? Dashed dreams. Intimate relationships that detoured unexpectedly. All manner of missed opportunities. For many, the aftermath is filled with deep remorse and, maybe, feelings of guilt. For some, these moments lead to a deep yearning for absolution, as we hear from Kevin Blanchard. Kevin Blanchard comes to us […]
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This I Believe New England – Quarantine
Let’s start with the obvious: The coronavirus has changed all of our lives in so many profound and unbidden ways. Don’t all of us have a new-found appreciation of life’s fragility and tenuousness? And, yet, amidst this pervasive challenge many of us have managed to find precious, if all too rare, moments of beauty. Let’s […]
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This I Believe New England – Artists During Covid-19
Along with so many parts of our lives, the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated theater and arts venues that are at the heart of our community. Museum doors are shuttered. Concert stages are silent. Theaters are dark. Artists, musicians, and actors are thinking outside the box to bring their paintings, sculptures, voices, and theatrical talents to us on our computer […]
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This I Believe New England – To Have A Home
The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us so many lessons about what matters most in life. Don’t we have a richer, deeper appreciation of the importance of human connection, good health, and basic safety and security? How many of us have reflected on the fact that we have the means to shelter in place? This week […]
