Differing points of view can lead to conflict. We see that every day in small events in our personal lives to large global clashes. We are all brought up with different rules of engagement, particular to our home. How to navigate the differences in small encounters helps prevent the larger battles. When I was a […]

  I feel powerless in the face of the world’s problems, especially as those problems get close to home. My son at college was in the path of Hurricane Harvey. Las Vegas is not that far away from me. The shootings at the Charleston church and the violence at the Charlottesville rally still weigh heavily […]

“How are you?” When the bank teller or the grocery store clerk asks me that, I tell the truth—either in my tone or with my vocabulary. It’s a small rebellion I enjoy as a change from the conventional, “I’m fine.” In most instances, my truth-telling is rather unremarkable. However, on the occasion when I’m fuming […]

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 […]