“Given your many interests, Tom, is there some kind of common denominator, or common thread?” asked my brother-in-law. A mild flush rushed to my face and the corners of my mouth curled ever so slightly into a smile. The fact that Bill knows me so well yet continues to be interested in my thoughts and…
My friend Dani is a passionate and talented actor. When a prestigious Scottish graduate school offered her a spot in their acting program, she was beyond thrilled. Trouble was, despite scholarships and working extra jobs, Dani didn’t have quite enough money to make the move abroad. Not to be deterred, however, she took a favorite…
Late one recent Saturday night I made my way to Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport to pick up my 20-year-old son. He was returning from a week in Jamaica on a service-learning trip. There he helped build an addition onto an elementary school building, entertained schoolchildren during recess, and experienced his very first nightclub. I stood by…
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” How often did you hear that question growing up? Well meaning as the questioners may have been, we know that what they really meant was, “What do you want to do?” Our culture places great emphasis on doing and working. Our very identity gets wrapped up…