My son asked me to explain my moral code.
My son is 25 years old. He and I had a father-son dinner a few weeks ago at a small Italian restaurant. In between the calamari and the chicken parmesan he asked me to explain my moral code. As a parent, there are a few moments that matter more than others. This felt like one […]
Blame the Clothes
As a college student, I did laundry as infrequently as I could get away with. Disclaimer: I generally wore clean clothes, but that meant I frequently was down to an empty closet before I headed to the laundromat. I only remember it being a problem once. It was an unseasonably warm spring my sophomore year. […]
“If you don’t do something about Joe, we will!”
Mike didn’t look happy as he worked his way through the crowded shelter dining room heading towards me. Mike had been homeless for several years. I knew him well. I knew the conversation we were about to have wasn’t going to be pleasant. “If you don’t do something about Joe, we will,” Mike hissed at […]
Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief.
For this weekly newsletter, I usually write whatever it is that I need to read. This week, what I need to read was already written by someone else. So, I’ll just share that… “Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are […]
A few years ago, I gave up cynicism for Lent.
A few years ago, I gave up “cynicism,” “inaction,” “powerlessness” and “apathy” for Lent. I was tired of feeling helpless in the face of what was happening to our country. I needed to do something more than just complain on social media. For 40 days I called a legislator’s office every day. I gave my […]
Lead. Don’t follow.
Increasingly, I am learning that de-escalation is more about having the right mindset than having the right tools. Here’s a mindset shift related to de-escalation… Lead. Don’t Follow. In conflict, you want to LEAD the other person into the behavior you want from them, not FOLLOW them into the foolish things they’re doing. If you […]
Kindness ripples through the fabric of humanity.
Think about the last time you took a moment to be kind… Maybe someone dropped papers, and you helped them pick them up. Maybe you held the door for someone. Maybe you offered an encouraging word to someone who was struggling. According to research from the University of California, San Diego and Harvard, the kindness […]
Worry is not work.
If I’m not worrying about the world, who will? I take “breaks” from social media and the news. But then I feel guilty. If I’m not worrying about the world, who will? I watch 90’s sitcoms with my wife and for an hour I forget about the plight of the most vulnerable. But then I […]
Christmas Eve in a Homeless Shelter
The following story is from my book “A Homeless Christmas Story.” To see the illustrated version and hear it read by Actor Emilio Estevez, go to https://www.homelesstraining.com/books/a-homeless-christmas-story/ You can also buy a copy there too. (if the URL doesn’t work, please type it into your browser) Winter’s crisp darkness settled over the large, brick homeless […]
Trying to live a kind life…
Howdy! For this weekly newsletter, I usually either explain the science of de-escalation or share a reflection on “trying to live a kind life in an oftentimes unkind world.” Once a year, though, I take a moment to introduce myself to new readers. So, here’s me… The “career” stuff: The “family” stuff: The “weird” stuff: […]
