Are you sick of winter yet? I know. Stupid question.
I’m in Ohio, so we’re seeing promises that spring will indeed arrive, but I remember all too well the 10 winters we lived in Fargo. Even if there are signs of new life, another cold spell comes blasting in and March feels like the dead of winter.
People are crabby. Everyone is ... Read More
Would you rather have 100 casual acquaintances or one special friend?
It’s a no-brainer, right? We all long to have someone special in our lives. But that can be tricky when the world only sees your disabilities.
Ciera Ball is mostly nonverbal, was diagnosed with autism and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). That can be a tough combination when forming attachments ... Read More
I often say I have the happiest email inbox in the world. Every once in a while, I’ll also get a handwritten letter in my real mailbox explaining how someone is adding light to the world through kindness.
I’ve received the sweetest stories of kindness. Despite what you might see on the television, there is good in this world, no doubt ... Read More
Have you felt it? That overwhelming need to dispose of all clutter now that the holidays are over?
I’ve cleaned out one closet and have about seven more to go. I’m clearly not the only one feeling it, because I got a letter from a woman in Wisconsin whose need to downsize meant an upswing in kindness.
“I was in purge mode ... Read More
My friend lost her dad just days after Christmas. I’ve never been in a situation where I needed to console a friend after a parent’s death, so I was on new ground.
Am I talking too much or too little? Am I loving her in the way she needs to be loved or in the way I would want to be ... Read More
Have you tired of your New Year’s resolution yet?
Maybe you hoped to avoid the feeling of failure by not declaring one. That’s sort of the route I take.
While I’m not big into resolutions, I did set an intention for 2019. I learned this practice from some friends who come up with a special word at the beginning of each year. ... Read More
I know kindness is contagious because I’ve witnessed it in action time and time again. Hundreds of stories from readers like you have solidified my belief that kindness goes around and comes around much more frequently than we could imagine.
Sometimes, we do an act of kindness that prompts someone else to “pay it forward.” We never know where the kindness ... Read More
My brother and sister-in-law love to snowmobile. I’ve never really gotten the whole winter sports culture, but I’ve heard you can’t mock what you haven’t tried, so I’ll assume there is something awesome about it.
They tell me on a good day, the restaurant parking lots in northern Wisconsin are empty of cars but full of snowmobiles. It all just sounds ... Read More
You know those super awkward moments where everyone is standing in an elevator and no one is talking? They seem to happen anytime we find ourselves in a contained area with a bunch of strangers.
I had a moment like that recently when I was flying somewhere by myself. I had parked the car in the cheapest airport lot, which meant ... Read More
Want to really enjoy this holiday season? Try giving to others out of delight, not duty.
Sure, there are gifts we feel obligated to give. But the magic of Christmas comes when we re-create the spirit of the season for another person just because we feel like it. It’s not hard.
Ask Katie Kringstad, the director of children’s ministry at First Lutheran ... Read More
