Thoughts on Freedom

thoughts on freedom

As we approach Independence Day, my mind turns to the idea of freedom. Freedom is a difficult word to define. Ask ten people what freedom is, and you will get at least ten different answers. There are at least that many definitions in the dictionary. The first five usages given in The American Heritage Dictionary […]


Make a Date

make a date

My husband and I share the distinction of being the oldest of five children. Growing up, there was always one of the children a little out of sorts. Luckily, with four other siblings there always was someone to distract the grumpy family member until the clouds parted. After our second and youngest daughter, Hannah, was […]


Lead or Manage?

Lead Or Manage?

As parents we lead and manage our children. If we lead without adequate management skills, logistical problems arise. If we manage without providing clear leadership, we may travel a long road to nowhere. Leadership focuses on developing people, empowerment, doing the right things, direction and principles. Management, on the other hand, concerns itself with taking […]


The High Cost of Low Trust

high cost of low trust

”My parents don’t trust me anymore,” said thirteen-year-old Steve. ”Oh,” I said, but thought to myself, RED ALERT. This wasn’t going to be a regular sit-at-the-table-and-eat-pizza party conversation. My memory neurons buzzed, trying to find the listening/questioning tool I had recently learned called evidence and impact questioning. The gist of this two-step listening technique is […]


Need + Talent + Passion = Power

need talent passion power

In his book The 8th Habit, Stephen Covey writes, ”When you can give yourself to work that brings together a need, your talents and your passion, power will be unlocked.” The bluntness of that statement knocks the breath out of me, because isn’t that what every one of us is looking for? We spend our […]


The Seeds of Passion

seeds of passion

The purpose of education, I believe, is to help a child find his or her passion in life. Passion comes from the heart and not the intellect. It’s not about how much you know. It’s about how much you care. Enthusiasm is a synonym for passion with one of the definitions for passion being ”boundless […]


Geek or Greek?

Geek or Greek

The ancient Greeks taught that there are three basic types of appeals one uses to influence an audience: ethos, pathos and logos. Ethos is the call for a sense of ethics, a request for a person to engage a sense of right and wrong. Ethos involves the speaker’s basic credibility, integrity and competency, along with […]


Build Relationships With Frequent Deposits

build relationships with frequent deposits

Relationship building is work, and our relationships and the trust in those relationships are in constant change. We maintain and deepen our relationships with regular acts of kindness, consideration, appreciation and service. Every act of building a relationship is as if we are making a deposit into a savings account. We increase our balance by […]


I and Thou

I and Thou

In the creation of successful relationships, there are two essential elements: giving and taking. In quality relationships, each party gives more than he or she takes, providing each person in the relationship a stockpile of positive experiences and memories. This abundance allows us mistakes without dire consequences during times of change and growth in a […]


Seven Traits That Destroy Lives

seven traits that destroy lives

Ever notice how a word, a phrase, a quote or a book title keeps popping up? The following Gandhi quote keeps showing up in my studies. Every time I read these seven statements I am astounded at the wisdom conveyed in so few words. Gandhi is attributed with saying that these seven characteristics are the […]