Facing Truth Together
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” –James Baldwin (1962) I pulled my coat tighter around my body as I…
The Joy of Flocking
Fawning is a trauma reaction where we placate a threatening person in hopes of defusing their aggression. Let’s add this F to our existing list of defensive maneuvers: fight, flee…
Communal Care
I can relate to the elephants. When an earthquake rattled San Diego earlier this month, Ndlula, Umngani and Khosi, the zoo’s majestic African elephants quickly moved together and then backed…
Choose Your Family
If you could hand-pick your family, whom would you include? Would your birth family make the cut? If the answer is yes, cherish these relationships. Having kind parents, siblings and…
Savor Love
Humans are pack animals. We are biologically designed to connect with each other and generally have longer and healthier lives when we are social. The benefits of relationships are further…
Give the Gift of Gratitude
Most winter holidays focus on the theme of Light in the Darkness. Light inspires hope whether you are celebrating the birth of Christ, the sustaining oil of Hanukkah, or light…
True Love: Offering Emotional Wound Care
When someone is physically injured, we know to stop and provide care, whether it’s offering help with an ice pack or calling for emergency assistance. You stay with your injured…
Welcome Your Friendly Ghosts
Across the world, varying by faith tradition, most cultures have some special way to honor the departed, such as All Souls’ Day or El Día de los Muertos (the Mexican…
Your Friendship Map
Imagine a map with miniature passport photos of your loved ones, tagging their geographic location. Where do your family and friends live? Hopefully, there is a cluster of connection near…
Authentic Connection
This Valentine’s Day, enhance your connection with your loved ones by sharing more genuinely with each other. Take a risk by asking deeper questions and reciprocate by sharing about yourself…