One of my favorite quotes about listening is: “If you want to be truly understood, you need to say everything three times, in three different ways. Once for each ear… and once for the heart.” Paula Underwood Spencer I was reminded of that quote because this Friday we will be releasing our 60th Sharing the … More Deep Listening
The elderly woman held tight onto her checkbook in her hand and was trying to get the lawyer’s attention. He worked full-time as a family law and real estate attorney, but helped support his business by also serving as a local municipal solicitor. He had his back turned to the woman and was giving me … More One good deed deserves another
Where do we find the light? The inspiration? That spark of genius, even if only for a fraction of a moment? In In Praise of Disorganization, Wynne and I discussed a brilliant (pun intended 🙃) source of such wonder: the collision of different worlds! Think about it, fire materializes when 3 very different components come … More Where Do We Find It?
My wife and I rolled over at the same time. Our baby daughter was crying from her room. We were both tired, but I offered to go get her. You would have thought I told my wife that she had just won the PowerBall Lottery. In her exhaustion, she let out a huge smile, told … More Rock-a-bye baby
Let’s talk about the idea of light versus dark. There are a great number of social, cultural and religious ideals that offer a stark juxtaposition between light and dark. The viewpoint is often that darkness offers a state to be wary of, or has a capacity to undermine, or to the extreme, gives embodiment to … More Within Darkness There is Light
When my daughter was in high school, I would look over the essays that she submitted to her English class or for college admission applications. I would get out my red pen, it was really the “Track Changes” Tool within Microsoft Word, and highlight where I thought she should cut, use tighter language, or rephrase … More Role reversal: Learning from my kids
We couldn’t be more excited for our friend – author and podcaster – Lois Roelofs whose book “Marv Taking Charge: A Story of Bold Love and Courage” is a finalist for a Chicago Writers Association Award! Read all about the finalists – including Lois’ beautiful book here: 2023 Book of the Year Awards (chicagowrites.org) Wynne … More Cheers to Lois!
The thing I noticed first was his calmness. He wasn’t like the other teachers, coaches, or family friends in my life. He had a soft voice that you sometimes had to strain to hear and he rarely seemed to yell or scold. Within five minutes of his class starting on the first day, he gave … More An angel when I needed it most
The first time I met Susan I thought she came across as rude and opinionated. I had just started a new job and my boss introduced her as my project manager. She looked to be a few years older than me, wore a black dress and jewelry that seemed better suited for going out on … More What kind of message would I be leaving?
I told a rather light-hearted tale on my personal blog this morning. A brief glimpse into what I remember as a rather courageous act for someone who was not often willing to stand up, or stand out. I remember it mostly as a first glimpse into what being bold and brave might feel like. At … More Defeating Trauma With Courage
The Heart of the Matter 