Tom Adams

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Lessons in Racial Justice: Goals, Strategies and Training

Lessons in Racial Justice: Goals, Strategies and Training

by | Dec 6, 2022 |

Recently I was given a book, Waging a Good War: A Military History of the Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1968.  The author, Thomas E Ricks, is described as “the dean of military correspondents.” He has authored numerous books about military wars including First Principles, The Generals and Fiasco. My initial reaction was to pause and wonder if I could enjoy a book that used the lessons of war to describe the civil rights movement. That concern turned out to be ill-founded. I recommend this book because of its many lessons that seem quite relevant to our ongoing efforts to end racial injustice.

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More about Love and Loving

More about Love and Loving

by | Nov 29, 2022 |

The holiday season is a wonderful time to explore how we experience love. Families remind us of the presence of love and where our aspirations to love fall short. This post is a start at sharing some of my ideas and beliefs about love and loving.

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 Learning from Wise Friends

 Learning from Wise Friends

by | Oct 25, 2022 | ,

A mutual friend, Shelley, frequently refers to Doris as the “sage of Cumberland.” She holds Doris in the highest esteem for the same reason I do. We both met Doris in a Twelve Step meeting and she became a sponsor or guide for each of us in working the Twelve Steps. With Doris, we both felt like we had won the lottery. We couldn’t imagine someone more kind, loving and wise.

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Noticing while Walking – The Way of Pilgrims

Noticing while Walking – The Way of Pilgrims

by | Oct 4, 2022 |

Four friends, Geraldine and I were feeling the muscle pains from four days of walking the spiritual pilgrimage in Spain known as the Camino de Santiago. It was mid-day and we were all getting hungry and were ready for a lunch break. On previous days, we had found small coffee shops or bakeries along the route where we had lunch and a much-needed rest. Today, there was no sign of such a place. Our map reading leader suggested lunch might be delayed until our next destination, three or more hours further along the path. We shared the little bit of fruit and trail mix we had. I began to get a little grumpy with this prospect, making the muscle pains talk louder.

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Noticing While Traveling

Noticing While Traveling

by | Sep 20, 2022 | ,

The last few weeks I have reflected on noticing and its power. Today I’d like to continue that theme in the context of traveling. This past weekend Geraldine and I drove to the mountains of Georgia on the South Carolina border for a family wedding. If you like details, google “Clayton, Georgia,” “Tiger, Georgia,” and “Long Creek, South Carolina.”  It is a beautiful part of the world, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

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Noticing and Action: Where to Focus?

Noticing and Action: Where to Focus?

by | Aug 30, 2022 |

Last week’s post by guest contributor Shirin McArthur explored how learning about racial justice can become action for positive change. She reflected on a quote by Tre Johnson that said, “When Black people are in pain, white people just join book clubs.” Shirin added that she is part of a book club focused on racial justice and that this challenge to go beyond book clubs applies to her and to all of us who like to think of ourselves as “white allies.”

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About Tom Adams

Tom AdamsTom Adams writes and speaks on topics vital to the intersection of our personal lives with our community and global lives. He has for decades been engaged in and written about nonprofit leadership and transitions, spirituality and spiritual growth, how we each contribute to a more just and equitable world and recovery from addictions and the Twelve Step recovery movement.