Giving Like You Mean It

Giving Like You Mean It

What does “enough” look like? After a long day at the beach, a big holiday meal, or one too many painful experiences, you might feel like you’ve had enough. Yet we often operate as if we can never have enough. If only we had more vacation days, time, success,...
Your To-Don’t List

Your To-Don’t List

How does this new year stack up against the rest? Perhaps you begin with a clear sense of what you wanted. Maybe you have a general hope for something better, different, or more of the same. You might even look to sources of wisdom and advice for that magic key that...
How Is the Story Going?

How Is the Story Going?

Mr. Pearl sat by the fire on a cold December morning. A cup of coffee in his hand, his favorite album on vinyl, his phone switched off, and (for now) no one interrupting. In other words, perfection. It had been a busy, almost overwhelming week, between the end of year...
Doing What You Say You’re Going To Do

Doing What You Say You’re Going To Do

What are you known for? Are you the life of the party? The thoughtful listener? The adventurous eater? All of us are known for something(s). And it’s usually a mixed bag. You’ve probably noticed patterns in how the people around you describe you. And you probably have...
What Criticism Reveals About Us

What Criticism Reveals About Us

Everyone’s a critic. If you’ve spent any amount of time on this earth, you’ve likely been on the receiving end of it. As the writer Elbert Hubbard put it, “Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.” We often...
Loving Your Political Neighbor

Loving Your Political Neighbor

Yes, we’re going there.  One of the reasons we are bad about talking about politics or religion is that we don’t talk about them. We’ve convinced ourselves nothing good will come of it. Conversations like these will only end in hurt feelings, reinforced beliefs,...