July 4th might be fun for most humans, but it is terrifying for our household pets, wild animals, and war veterans. The trauma of being stuck outside alone can affect our pets’ lives for the rest of their lives, and, in some cases, can cost them their lives. The shelters and animal hospitals are always crowded the day after July 4th with animals…

Almost eleven years ago, Jay and I took our family to South Dakota to build a home for a Lakota nation medicine woman. We experienced and learned many things while there, including participating in a sweat lodge ceremony where the details were new to me, but the songs, smells, and heat on my skin felt somehow familiar to my soul. We paid our…