When it comes to abundance, our culture and our religion are clearly at odds. Our culture cries, Accumulate! Our religion counsels Appreciate! The mantras couldn’t be more different: Go out and get what you want! Learn to want what you have. So, yes, appreciation is central to this month. Noticing the abundance around us is clearly the work we are called to do. But one wonders if that’s enough. It all depends on what you do after the noticing is done. Sometimes there’s a pass

Courageous people change the world. There are so many examples of that this month. October is LGBTQ history month and reminds us of the many who bravely moved (and continue to move) our world toward greater acceptance and affirmation. The revolutionary prophet of peace, Mohandas Gandhi, was born on October 2. Our Christian friends celebrate Reformation Day and Martin Luther’s courage that changed how we all think about religious authority. We rightly honor such giants. The pr