Last year, I had the extraordinary good fortune to strike up a friendship with one of my favorite authors, Parker J. Palmer (Let Your Life Speak, The Courage To Teach, Healing the Heart of Democracy, etc.). The photo above is from a visit in his and Sharon’s home in Madison, Wisconsin last August. I’m so glad to have crossed paths with both of them.
Parker and Carrie Newcomer later invited me to be on their podcast, The Growing Edge, but he and I first connected through a friend of his who heard me speak and sent him my TEDx talk. Parker liked it and reached out, and we started corresponding by email, leading to a couple of long Zoom visits over the following weeks, and then to a visit to their home.
I’ve admired Parker’s writing for decades and I’ve been significantly impacted by it, leading to changes in perspective that have truly shifted my worldview and trajectory, so it was truly amazing to receive this endorsement in my email inbox today:
“‘You Are Changing the World Whether You Like It Or Not’ is one of my go-to books on grassroots social change. For starters, the title is flat-out true. Every time we act in support of love, truth and justice, we change the world in some small measure—and when millions of us do so, the ripple becomes a tsunami. Equally important, we change ourselves. Act in that spirit often enough, and we grow the courage to take even larger risks. David LaMotte is one of those trustworthy writers who walks the talk. He has learned what he teaches from a lifetime of involvement in social change. If you seek a deeper understanding of your role in a wounded world—and an accessible vision of actionable next steps—this book is a must-read.” — Parker J. Palmer
Brad at Chalice Press tells me that we are approaching a reprint, so the timing is providential, and we are also in the midst of recording the audio version of this book. If you would like to listen, please watch for that to hit audiobook platforms in the fall.
I truly don’t have an emotional file folder for this one. I’m deeply moved and humbled, and it feels affirming to hold the respect and friendship of someone whom I respect so deeply.
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