"How do we respond when we understand the neediness of our souls?" John Ortberg That is the question John Ortberg asks at the end of one of the chapters in Soul Keeping. I had never really considered my soul needy, but this concept has a lot of credibility. My soul yearns, but everything else seems to … Continue reading Advent Peace
Truth and Reconciliation, cont’d
This past Sunday I failed to mention that the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is this coming Friday. And I felt a little remorse. Too many people that look like me, who found Canada the way my ethnic group did, and enjoy what came with settlement, don't feel the same way. The empathy and … Continue reading Truth and Reconciliation, cont’d
Do you make room for an enemy?
How many enemies do you have? I know, I know, we are not supposed to call anyone an enemy. And I realize for many of you it is difficult to admit out loud that some people may even get the title. But we all know who they are in our circles. It does not mean … Continue reading Do you make room for an enemy?
A Christmas Wish
What do you wish for this Christmas? I guess this question is a pretty easy one these days, when you consider all that the world is dealing with at the end of 2021. We really thought we would be done with the pandemic by now, and we are bracing for another lockdown; I assumed we … Continue reading A Christmas Wish
Remembrance
Lest we forget. I have always had a complicated relationship with Remembrance Day. Not because I do not honour or respect the cause for such a day, or the people we honour. But because of my ongoing and growing understanding of my own convictions on peace and pacifism. It is a complicated place to be, … Continue reading Remembrance
To be a Minister of Reconciliation
"Forgiveness is not a decision, it is a process"(DR. CHARLOTTE VANOYEN-WITVLIET) The summer of 2021 has been interesting for all of us. Not quite like 2020 when we were trying to get used to living in a global pandemic, we are now trying to accept when and how it should end. We are all in … Continue reading To be a Minister of Reconciliation
How was your pandemic response?
There are plenty of great ideas and thoughts out there for how you should, or should have, responded to the Covid-19 crisis. No matter how great we are, we probably could have done better. But that's the thing with crisis. You don't get the privilege of planning ahead for it. So what is your metric … Continue reading How was your pandemic response?
Harmony within distance
A few prominent images presented themselves this past week: ...A prominent psychologist on a popular podcast discussing neighbouring and being in close proximity. Gives advice on it, and then shares how she walked away from dinner with a friend, and no longer called her a friend, because they disagreed on politics. ...The English prince and … Continue reading Harmony within distance
Peace in Pandemics
What does peace look like to you? If we observe the way the news and social media are treating our current global outbreak we might think it is hidden somewhere in the midst of more information. Checking my news apps has become a habit to the point of giving me a sore thumb. There are … Continue reading Peace in Pandemics
Leadership and the Advent Season!
Have you ever compared the themes of Advent with the themes of leadership? I have. Not just for my status as a leader in a group, but for my personal life as well. Who I am and how I see myself. My belief is that the outcomes we desire in leadership are the same as … Continue reading Leadership and the Advent Season!
The Worrisome Mother: Mental health and the family tree
I love my mom. At least the way I remember her. She passed away in 1989, so some of the memories need to be unpacked from time to time in order to recall them for what they represent to me as I get older. Sometimes I remind myself to tell stories to my kids about … Continue reading The Worrisome Mother: Mental health and the family tree
Does everyone agree with you? #communication #understanding
“…right?” I used to frequently end my sentences with that modifier. My wife eventually told me to stop it. No one liked it and it was not really a question I was asking. It was just a way to get a response to a statement. Or more likely, to receive affirmation on what I wanted. … Continue reading Does everyone agree with you? #communication #understanding
Lead Freely 