My 2024 Action Report

Words and deeds of care and gratitude for people and planet

2024 has been a year of a stressful hurricane and election, sincere actions of service and care, and feelings of grief, happiness, and gratitude. Below, please find some of my and others’ activities and experiences in 2024 that may be of interest or use to you. The report moves from international, to national, to local, to family and friends, to this body-mind. It is about the care and actions of many people, other living beings, and indeed, the whole living Earth. Every year, I share a brief report as my accountability to the world for my life. Please let me know if you would like further details, links, or contacts, or if there is anything I can do for you in 2025.

Conducted international outreach on compassionate action, sustainable development, group facilitation, and peace-making including for Ukraine, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Korea, and Canada through books, Zoom, video, podcasts, Substack, social media, and a public rally:

Prepared a video talk for the graduation of thirty-one participants in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Ambassador’s training program, held in Kathmandu, Nepal, sponsored by Kalpa Academy and ICA Nepal (photo above). Ishu Subba and Dr. Tatwa Timsina of ICA Nepal and Khanal Ravi Omyth of Kalpa invited me to speak at the ceremony. My colleague Jan Sanders of People Energy also had a video talk for the event.

Fifty-two Compassionate Conversations were published this year on the Substack platform for subscribers and non-subscribers around the world. The number of free and paid subscribers more than doubled this year. Gratitude for guest essays written by Dr. Shabbir Cheema and Dr. Nikhil Chandavarkar, both former UN colleagues.

Participated in an international Zoom event for the launch of the book Applied Spirituality and Sustainable Development Policy which includes my chapter on “Compassionate Policies to Relieve Systemic Suffering”. The book was edited by Dr. Naresh Singh of O.P. Jindal Global University, India, and Divya Bhatnagar, of Shiv Nadar University, India, and published by Emerald Publishing.

Gave a keynote to twenty-eight participants by Zoom on “Ethical, Global Thinking, and Ethical, Local Action” for a Pakistani Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) post-grad course, sponsored by the Anthropology Department of the Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad, and The Knowledge Institute, and Development Impact Solutions, both in Canada. Fayyaz Baqir of TKI and Dr. Saifullah Choudhry of DIS kindly invited me to speak.

Three podcasts of my interviews related to A Compassionate Civilization and a poetry reading from my book Earthling Love were created and shared globally on the Heart 2 Heart website and radio, by director Mary Alice Arre.

Wrote an endorsement appearing in the second edition of the book The Art of Focused Conversations by Technology of Participation (ToP) master facilitators and General Editors Jo Nelson and Brian Stanfield of ICA Canada, and published by New Society Publishers. This is a powerful method that I have used around the world in consulting and teaching over many years. (Photo above)

Participated in a peace demonstration for Ukraine held in Pack Square, Asheville, NC. Svitlana Salamatova, president of the Geopolitical Alliance of Women, brought me a copy of the newly published Ukrainian language edition of my book A Compassionate Civilization. May peace and justice come to Ukraine!

Spoke about international career development on Zoom to graduate students of the School of Global Studies at Oklahoma State University (OSU), at the invitation of the Dean Dr. Randy Kluver and Vice Dean Dr. Jami Fullerton.

Prepared a video for the memorial service of longstanding friend Rev. Dr. Kang Byoung Hoon of South Korea, at the request of his daughter, Rev. Dr. Kang Hye Kyung.

Marketed my books of essays, poems, speeches, life story, and manifesto/handbook.

Posted also on Facebook, LinkedIn, and the Compassionate Civilization blog site.

Promoted democratic governance in the US:

Wrote and published on Substack eleven essays concerning participatory democracy, election reform, and the importance of voting and helping get out the vote (GOTV) in the US election for candidates at all levels committed to socioeconomic justice, ecological regeneration, participatory governance, and peace and nonviolence.

Participated in Democratic party cluster and precinct meetings to help get out the vote.

Prepared for planning and action in Buncombe County and the Swannanoa community:

Held meetings with Brownie Newman, Chairman, and Terri Wells, Vice Chair, of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, Jennifer Harrison, head of water and land for the county, and facilitators Kathleen Osta, and Michelle Smith regarding the need for facilitated, multi-actor implementation of the county’s 2043 vision and plan.

Met with Alice Berry of the Black Mountain town council, Courtney Bruch, and Diana McCall regarding local actions of ecological regeneration and social justice in the Swannanoa Watershed.

Met with film maker Scott Kirschenbaum and Courtney Bruch regarding the local Center of Conscious Living and Dying (CCLD).

Contacted the Swannanoa Grassroots Alliance (SGA) that was formed after the hurricane and spoke with facilitator Diana McCall about the possibility of facilitating a participatory five-year strategic planning consultation for recovery and future developments of Swannanoa with participation of local communities, county government, local businesses, nonprofits, schools, and media. Honored that Diana recently asked me to be one of her mentors.

Participated in the Woodburn Place Home Owners Association’s annual meeting on Zoom.

Enjoyed being with family and friends:

Grateful to experience Hurricane Helene recovery with BMT in our home for ten days without water, electricity, cellphone and internet services. BMT and I appreciated living in Birkdale Village, Huntersville, NC, for over two months of healthcare after the hurricane. Enjoyed celebrating Valentine’s Day and our seventeenth wedding anniversary. Grateful that BMT had a successful heart ablation at Mission Hospital after getting a second opinion at Duke Medical Center in Raleigh, NC.

BMT and I celebrated the tenth anniversary of being in Chickadee Cottage. Received an estimate on a solar roof and whole house generator. Grateful to our neighbor Shari and our son Christopher for caring for our house while we were away after the hurricane. When we recently returned to our home in Swannanoa, NC, we were saddened by all of the debris, destroyed homes, buildings, and bridges in the community. Thankful that our home is okay.

Celebrated birthdays of each family member. Celebrated 50th anniversary of son Benjamin’s adoption, and 50th birthday of son Christopher coming up on Christmas eve. Celebrated my 80th birthday with family members and friends including Myo Myint and his family and friends from New York, Bruce Williams from Chicago, Drs. Larry Ward and Peggy Rowe-Ward, Janet Sanders and Blase Sands from Omaha, Mary Alice Arre, Diana McCall, Jeni Bee and her daughter Viviana, and Courtney Bruch.

Enjoyed luncheon with longtime friends Jim Troxel and Karen Snyder, Lynda and John Cock, and their son Jono Cock in Davidson, NC, near Birkdale Village. Happy to meet new friends including David and Carol Houle at the home of George and Eva Raftelis in nearby Cornelius, NC. Enjoyed two visits in Birkdale Village from son Christopher and grandchildren Mariela and Phoenix who live in Fairview, NC. (Photo above taken by BMT of son, grandson, and me in Birkdale Village)

Grateful that daughter-in-law Jennifer and son Christopher drove to Tennessee for cousin Scott’s memorial. Thankful that Jennifer’s mother Kathy is still with us due in large part to Jennifer’s limitless care and love. Grateful for all the love and care that Christopher and Jennifer give BMT and me.

Impressed that son Benjamin bought a new rental apartment in the Dominican Republic as an investment, and made a visit to the DR to oversee preparations.

Excited that for a journalism assignment at Franklin School of Innovation, grandson Phoenix interviewed me concerning my international and local activities. He also started driving a car by himself and enjoyed playing music, singing, and writing music with his buddies in their band.

Acknowledged the second anniversary of the passing of my younger brother Duncan. Missing him a lot. His amazing wife, my dear sister-in-law, Lisa, has relocated to Columbus, Ohio.

Cared for this body-mind:

Enjoyed daily mindful breathing and other spiritual practices, reading, writing, walking, physical exercise, sleeping, drinking water, eating nourishing food, being with loved ones and friends, and serving people and other beings near and far. Participated in Lotus Institute online events of meditation and Dharma talks. All of these activities helped me deal with tiredness, sadness, and anxiety concerning old age, sickness of loved ones, climate disaster, and societal suffering, and to return again and again to happiness and gratitude in each present moment. Life is indeed a mysterious gift.

Thankfulness

Thanks to all readers and subscribers of the 2024 Compassionate Conversations! Special thanks to those who shared comments this year including: Fayyaz Baqir, Tina Spencer, Akekho Umuntu, Elizabeth Austin, Audrey Berzock Womack, Paul Grayhurst, Dr. Nafeez Ahmed, Lucinda Bickers. R. J. Taylor, Dr. Tho Ha Vinh, Dr. Peggy Rowe-Ward, Dr. Cosmas Gitta, Third Act, Terry Weygandt, Lynda Cock, Nancy Trask, Judi White, Karen Troxel, Jacqueline Hartvelt, Zobia Baig, Michelle Smith, Sher Griffin, Sherry Lynsdottir, Matthew LW, Dr. Shabbir Cheema, Dr. Nikhil Chandavarkar, Dawn Kirk, Reb, Zohaib Hassan, Chindedu Marcel Emecheta, Diana McCall, Dr. Saifullah Chaudhrey, Beret Griffith, Phyllis Hockley, Shari, Jim Wiegel, Dr. Gus Speth, Marjorie Bachert, George Brandt, Catherine Whitney, Dr. Ameena Zia, Colleen Haithcock, Ann Schrader, Carlos Espinosa, David Elliott, Harry Petrequin, Ted Eisenbeis, Dr. Humphrey Nyapuodi, Jennifer Harrison, Sue Huggins, Mary Alice Arre, Nu Nu Win, and Barbara Rogers.