One of the first words a child learns is the word “no.” Ask any two-year-old if they want an ice cream cone, and they’ll say “no” even as they reach for it. They know the word; they know it’s a way to express their burgeoning independence. But sometimes they’re not quite clear on its meaning. […]

It was 2006 at Easter Brunch out in the Texas Hill Country. Carol, a mom of my son’s classmate was grumbling about her dog, a young, yellow lab named Henry. They really loved him, but were very concerned that they’d have to give him away due to his escape artistry. “He jumps the fence all […]

Do you go down rabbit holes? Does it take you off course? My invitation to rabbit holes is resistance. For me, resistance is not so much about staying stuck in one place as it is about not staying the course. Instead of persisting, of staying the course, I resist—by chasing rabbits. I’d much rather race […]

I’m at 30,000+ feet, flying home from Salt Lake City and my annual trip to the Usana International Convention. “Convention” is much like the fair was to me when I was a child. Lots to see, lots to learn, friends to hang with and lots of energy. From each presenter at the convention there was […]

Years ago I was in a workshop with my professor, Sam Osherson, who offered a four-day workshop on “Restoring the Broken Link between Fathers and Sons.” (That probably wasn’t the exact title, it was a long time ago, but that was the gist). I was intrigued and signed up for it. The next three and […]

If you follow along with me on FB, you know transitions have been a theme the last few weeks. One thing that makes them doable is the punctuation at the end. (I was saddened when I learn that two spaces after a period was no longer proper grammatical style.) Ok, so I’ll change metaphors. The […]

I remember the excited delight of getting out of school for the summer. It was great and we students were ready to jump long before the final bell rang. Sweet memories I cherish, but not so much how I feel about May these days. Nevertheless, here we go. It’s the end of May, heading into […]

The holidays have arrived. During the Thanksgiving meal, we went around the table offering our personal thanks in a collective cornucopia of gratitude. The contribution that continues to stand out for me was offered by my son when he said, “I’m thankful that my family doesn’t bicker and fuss and tank the holidays.” Impressed by […]

“I keep thinking that if I can just get everything done, I can sit down and rest.” This thought is not new—or unique—to me. I can’t count the number of times I said this, or heard it said. Twenty years ago I was looking at the farm property that would become my home—58 acres, a […]