You never know when a simple story will be powerful, like the one I heard while watching the first memorial service for U.S. Senator John McCain. I didn’t intend to watch the whole service when I turned on the TV, but the tributes were stirring. McCain colleague Grant Woods talked about his decades-long friendship with…
I’m one of those people who skews toward seeing the glass half empty, not half full. I prefer order, not chaos; neatness, not clutter; most everything lined up and buttoned up. I’m not so far gone that I can’t (mostly) control any tendency to try to persuade other people to honor my preferences, but I’m…
I was caring for some of my young grandchildren when a squabble broke out between siblings. I don’t recall what I suggested to resolve the dispute, but my granddaughter was adamant in her reply: “Grandma, that’s not part of our culture.” Her culture? She was seven years old! Her parents weren’t home for me to…
Choosing compassion is sometimes easier said than done. At least, it is for me. As an editor, I sometimes find myself critical of a published book I know was edited. I wonder why, in my opinion, it wasn’t edited better. Didn’t the editors care? Then I remember that the raw manuscript might have been rougher…
You know the scene—the one with harmful words. A character is talking about a boss, a coworker, or an acquaintance behind their back. Her intent isn’t good; her words are unkind. Yet she (or he) feels safe. The subject of this rant isn’t there and will never hear the words being spoken. She just needs…
Do you struggle with a challenge you let make you feel exposed and bad about yourself? I do. I’m overweight. The Elephant in the Room Syndrome My apologies to elephants, but if you, like me, struggle with a challenge other people can readily identify, you might sometimes feel like you’re the elephant in the room….