What a mixed bag. They’re often chosen, welcomed, and invigorating, but not always. They can represent the end of a season or the acceptance of a new reality. Some transitions are planned; others are imposed. Since we’re always transitioning from one thing to another, it’s helpful to consider not just the inevitability of change, but […]

When I was nine, my father built a giant sieve to separate stones from the soil. He wanted a lawn back where the yard was still piles of rubble from a construction project. At dinner that night he asked me to help him shovel one of the piles through the sieve. At nine, my idea […]

There’s a quiet presence to humility. It’s gentle. You experience it in butterfly exhibits and hospital rooms. A deference to the other. A gentle touch that affirms dignity. It’s also evident on airplanes when someone stops to help the elderly couple lift their carry-ons into the overhead bin. A fragrance of grace in the urgent aisle. Humility […]

Goals are important — they help us think beyond ordinary outcomes. They’re also a burden, because aiming farther requires more of us (and others). Every historical marvel cost time, money, rest, relationships, alternate opportunities, and lives. Stepping back, achieving goals is really about perseverance, which entails strength of character, sacrifice, and encouragement. Not all goals […]