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Don't forget about the price tag
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Nickel and diming our lives
Hearing and saying "I appreciate you."
The purpose of technology is community
Celebrate small moments
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The strength around us
The leaf is proud:
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Cleaning the workbench:
Children become adults

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From the category archives:

Article

Thumbnail image for Subtle warmth and color

Subtle warmth and color

April 3, 2010

Back in the days of wood heating, the fireplace was a central and essential part of the house. Stoked and prodded, fire was a bright orange source of heat, and a strong reminder of our shared interests in warmth and community. Atop the fireplace, on the mantle, was always something of personal meaning to the family, be it a family portrait or a treasured heirloom. Chairs were positioned around the fireplace, and it was a focal point that drew us together frequently, to talk and share time. Nowadays, most homes are heated thoroughly and invisibly by a furnace or baseboard [...]

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The Robin is calm

March 9, 2010

Each of us have birds native to their area of the world. The two birds that I love the most are the North American Robin and the Red Tailed Hawk. The robin is a gentle bird — happy to co-exist with people on the lawns of Eastern North America. This year, I saw my first robin in my own backyard, on March 9th, amidst the melting snow piles. It was sharing space with a black squirrel, with both of them probing the early Spring lawn for something to eat. At one point the robin and squirrel were within 2 feet [...]

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The Olympic flame is within us

March 1, 2010

As the 2010 Winter Olympics come to a close, wonderful memories and a sense of encouragement remain from our shared experience of Vancouver and Whistler, BC.  Athletes and administrators, volunteers and fans, families and global friends — we all came together to honour excellence and commitment. While I enjoyed the excitement of the competitions, it was the determined spirit of the people that brought joy to my heart. While even the best teams come and go, the most beautiful and steadfast human traits remain: compassion and community. When I see people trying hard to do something good together I feel [...]

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Paleo-Plus: The caveman diet expands its hunting grounds

February 22, 2010

Berry-apple sauce and nuts is an easy Paleo snack. Adapting to their changing environment was essential for early humankind. Our ancestors learned how to fish, hunt and gather the foods they needed. In today’s world there are fewer cavemen (which some females might disagree with) but a renewed interest in eating well (“eating good” in caveman parlance). Going back to basics is a central theme in many successful lifestyle changes, and the Paleo diet has that at its core. With its focus on meats, vegetables, fruits and nuts, going Paleo provides a solid core for good nutrition. But just as [...]

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Hearing and saying “I appreciate you”

January 7, 2010

Our world depends on a lot of people getting things done. We all have our roles and our tasks, and every day has more than enough to do. And swirling through our days are people. Some of them we see every day, like those we work with. Some people we only see for a minute, like those who help us in checkout lines or at a restaurant. Some we walk by and never share a word with. But all of the people in our days are, in fact, real and caring people. And all of them, in some way, are [...]

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Thumbnail image for A better life in Barbie-land

A better life in Barbie-land

December 27, 2009

One of the best-selling toys our culture has produced is the ever-pretty Barbie, by Mattel.  As the father of a former young daughter, I have experienced first-hand the playing, dressing and accessories that Barbie brings to our world. It was a positive time of fun as well as social exploration and learning. When my daughter became a teenager, I remember when she decided to remove her Barbies from her bedroom, and it was a strong and sad moment for me. I felt that I should have spent more time sitting together with her, combing Barbie’s hair and play-acting adventures in [...]

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Thumbnail image for No way to play a guitar

No way to play a guitar

December 17, 2009

I love music, and I always have. It makes my body move and my spirit soar. I have many favorite songs and passages, and I can listen to them repeatedly — thrilling to the skill and nuance of the performers. My brain plays songs I’ve heard, like a tape recorder in my head.  But sometimes it plays songs I’ve never heard, and those are the hard ones for me to hear, without the skills to make them real. When I was in first year university I lived in a residence with many other young men. It was a mix of [...]

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Taylor Swift is a talented and insightful singer

Know and Show your Heart

November 5, 2009

In a recent song by Taylor Swift, a young woman laments that her guy-friend cannot see that she would make a great girlfriend. The song, titled “You Belong with Me“, is beautifully written, with a simple, down home beginning and a strong, soaring finale. Listening to the song it is easy to ask, “Why is this guy so blind to what is right in front of him?” As the singer narrates, the young man is attracted — as our society encourages — to a different woman, a fancier woman, who wears short skirts and high heels. The downside? His current [...]

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Thumbnail image for The music we love

The music we love

October 29, 2009

Rooted in the deepest parts of our brains is our love of music. Starting with our body’s natural rhythms and love of patterns, music winds its way through us, to us, and from us. Everyone loves music — some type of music. And everyone makes music, whether it is a skilled performance on an instrument, singing a bit of a song, or tapping our feet. Music is the natural joy language of all humans. Mitch Miller, loving the music We each have a personal musical path through our lives, woven by deliberate forces such as radio and TV, shared experiences [...]

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Doing our part to help things work out

October 21, 2009

At the core of our lives are two powerful traits: responsibility and compassion. While they sound like lofty ideals, responsibility and compassion are actually life’s calls to action, built into each of us. We know there are things we should do, and we know when we should be helpful and sensitive to others.  Knowing these things doesn’t make us responsible and compassionate — it is acting on these feelings by participating. When we are young, most things are done for us. Mothers, fathers and caregivers watch over us, and try to give us what we need — both physically and [...]

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