Preschool is a playground for learning about power. The definition of power is “the ability to have an effect or to have influence.”  The dynamics of power, of course, also include responding to other’s ability to have an effect on you.   Recently, my four-year-old goddaughter gave me some insight into how she was working this out. Here’s how it went. “Cedar, let’s make an igloo!” “Okay. How will we do that?” (With blankets over the couch and... read more...

Forgiveness is often misunderstood. I recall asking a colleague to forgive me me for my unskillfulness in handling a situation that affected him. I had made an important decision without consulting him. I was truly sorry.  His response to my request for forgiveness, however, surprised me: “If I forgive you, it will be as if it never happened.  And it did happen so forgiveness wouldn’t be right.” Forgiveness, in fact, is a very deep feeling of reverence for life and willingness... read more...

A while ago, I had an interchange with someone that got me thinking. It went like this: “I had been mistreated for so long that the good parts and the financial security of the job just finally were outweighed by my loss of self-esteem. So, I rehearsed for weeks how to tell my boss I was leaving in a peaceful, non-blaming way. Just that it was time for me to move on. I went into his office and made my rehearsed statement.” “What was his response?” I asked. The woman said,... read more...