The idea that you can wall build walls and create quarantines is as ridiculous as it is dangerous
When we carefully examine fear, we can see that it’s mostly irrational. Legitimate fear is a good thing, however, because it pushes us to eliminate actual dangers to our well-being. During the Cold War, the threat of a nuclear Armageddon was very real. Many of us took up the task of changing global conditions by…
How do you deal with unhappiness at work? You find meaning and value in what you do
A recent study said 47 per cent of Canadians are unhappy in their jobs. Many cite lack of pay as the main reason but it’s not the only factor. Many find the work environment difficult or say their work lacks meaning. Of course, leaving a job isn’t necessarily a good thing. It can take significant…
We’re all born with a unique and inherent capacity to do good. The trick is to put it to use
As we go through life, we’re given many pieces of advice. Those that are most truthful tend to survive the test of time, and the best advice brings enduring happiness and a sense of peace. At an orientation social before I began my first assignment as a young teacher, I sang a song for an…
Forgiveness isn’t easy. But forgiving others sets us free to live to our true potential
I admit I’m only beginning to understand the concept of forgiveness. But I do know it’s a common thread in the lives of the people who I most deeply admire. I can imagine Nelson Mandela sitting in his tiny prison cell, fighting an internal battle to keep from losing hope. Somehow he came to the…
They have a history of grassroots social activism and community involvement, and it serves us all well
Angela Merkel has announced that this will be her last term as German chancellor. This has created some concern, as many credit her with navigating her country, the European Union and even the global community through many stormy waters in recent years. When we look around the world, however, we see that there is no…
When youth take a political stand, it’s inspiring. History is full of such amazing and courageous young people
Nelson Mandela said, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way it treats its children.” American news and social media were recently stirred up by a video of children meeting with Sen. Dianne Feinstein. The video went viral. The children represented a youth organization known as the Sunrise Movement, which…
It’s very easy for Canadians to look self-righteously at Americans and claim the higher moral ground. But it's not necessarily true
Newly-elected U.S. congressional representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently said, “Until America tells the truth about itself, we’re not going to heal.” There’s reason to hope that America will heal. For instance, it’s very encouraging to see several Democratic presidential hopefuls include recognition of the impact of the slave trade and subsequent racist policies against the African-American…
Acknowledging that wrong has been done makes it easier to forgive and forgiveness is a powerful step in the long walk to healing
The Dalai Lama recently stated, “I feel optimistic about the future because humanity seems to be growing more mature.” He specifically mentioned the increasing importance of inner values, the study of the mind and emotions, the desire for peace, and concern for the environment. What signs are there that the Dalai Lama is correct? A…
But despite what some marketing may suggest, that doesn't mean winning at all costs
For 30 years, Gillette used “The best a man can get” as its tagline. It sounded good and it appealed to the cultural standard of competition – the idea that to be a real man, you needed to be the best, even if it meant to win at all costs. Gillette advertisements showed how men…
True power doesn’t rest with the violent, it lies with those of integrity and courage
Canadian Gen. Romeo Dallaire stated, “At its heart, the Rwandan story is the failure of humanity to heed a call for help from an endangered people.” It would be nice to believe that the world learned its lesson in Rwanda, where nearly one million people were slaughtered in roughly 90 days as the world stood…
The goal of education is to stimulate constant growth in knowledge and wisdom in each individual
In the world of education, we’re preparing our students for an uncertain future. Some of the jobs of today won’t exist in 20 years. And new jobs are being created all the time, the likes of which we can hardly imagine. Our educational system was primarily designed during the industrial revolution. We needed clerks and…
Playing in harmony is perhaps the most perfect example of human co-operation
Lebanese-American writer Kahlil Gibran said, “Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life, bringing peace, abolishing strife.” If any group has experienced strife over the last several hundred years, it’s the people of Africa. First they had a significant portion of their population dragged into slavery. Then they had their…
A society is judged by its treatment of its weakest and most vulnerable members
As part of my Social Justice 12 class, I have students present their research on a topic of interest to them. These reports always inspire lively and insightful discussions. A subject that seems to consistently draw a great deal of interest is the Nazi genocide of the handicapped. The Nazis determined that many people were…
History shows again and again that the church can mobilize an unstoppable force driven by a desire for love and peace
As tensions mount in the United States over whether a wall should be built along the Mexican border, little has been written about a force that could well become the determining factor on the issue. Despite its own struggles and coverups, the Catholic church has shown itself to be an insurmountable force when it fully…
A new documentary, followed by a feature film, bring the spotlight back to Mister Rogers. His legacy is worth rediscovering
Fred Rogers said, “Discovering the truth about ourselves is a lifetime’s work, but it’s worth the effort.” Of course, Fred Rogers is best known as the star of the television program Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. He was not only the main character, however, he was responsible for most of the content of a show that ran…