“We Trudged Through an Unknown, Unexperienced Evil — Unaware How That Evil Took Hold in Us” This essay was originally published in The War Horse. The following narrative was written by Joseph Simboli Jr., (my partner’s father) one of the members of the 89th Infantry Division who liberated Ohrdruf, the first Nazi concentration camp to be discovered by American forces in April 1945. For decades, Joe…

Anti-abortion laws have traditionally allowed an exception to protect the “life of the mother.” Not anymore. Originally published in POLITICO. In 1942, my grandmother lay in a hospital bed in center city Philadelphia waiting to die. She was 26 years old, happily married, and pregnant with her first child. Only something went horribly wrong in the last trimester, and suddenly, both she and the baby were…

How to cultivate moral resilience instead — “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” is a centuries-old proverb inspired by a Japanese carving that depicts three monkeys, each with a hand covering eyes, ears, and mouth, respectively. …

Knowing how to be present without overstepping boundaries can help a loved one. — Moral values and the identities that sustain our relationships are the most important aspects of our lives: they constitute what is most sacred in us. Our sense that we are worth something and beloved by others lies at the heart of our relationships with them and the world. The violation…

This modern twist on the ancient contemplative practice of ‘scriptio divina’ can help you heal — This story is behind Medium’s membership paywall, which means the writer earns through our Partner Program. To become a Medium member, click here. Three decades ago, research by James Pennebaker revealed that expressing one’s deeper thoughts and feelings through writing can result in significant physical and psychological health benefits. Since…

In the wake of 9/11, families heeded the call to service for their country as loved ones were sent to war. After the fall of Afghanistan, they continue to struggle to reconcile the moral costs and reconstitute their relationships. — Co-written with Rita Brock, Senior Vice President and Director of the Shay Moral Injury Center at Volunteers of America and co-author of Soul Repair: Recovering from Moral Injury After War (Beacon 2012).

Research shows these psychospiritual forces may be critically important for decreasing risk of illness and death and boosting overall health — When I was in graduate school studying world religion, philosophy, and psychology, I became intrigued by what, if anything, undergirds all the wisdom traditions. I had no interest in diluting them or melting them into one. I was more curious about what was beneath belief. After much research, I arrived…

Just thinking about comfort foods can reduce loneliness — There was never a fall or winter holiday when my mother didn’t make chicken soup. There was never a cold or flu I had when she also didn’t whip up a batch. And there’s never been a time when I’ve made the hearty dish — or even thought about it…

It’s only hard because it matters that much — I recently had to have a medical test that I really didn’t want to have. No, that’s not even close to accurate; “really” could never describe the level of soul-paralyzing fear I felt in the lead up to that day. Every hour was black, filled with dreaded anticipation about what…