From Surviving to Thriving

This piece originally appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on October 14, 2018. We all accumulate scars in life, some more penetrating than others. How – and why — do some people falter, some survive, and yet others thrive? That question so intrigued Emma J. Bell that she stepped away from a judgeship to…

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Autism, Mothers and the Great Gift of Planning

Child with special needs holds paper heart

This piece originally appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on May 13, 2018.   One in 42. That was the prevalence of autism in 8-year-old Minnesotans in 2014, the CDC recently reported, compared to one in 59 nationally.   So for an awful lot of moms, “our day” triggers a constellation of emotions: sadness,…

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Coach Pam Borton Perfects the Pivot

This piece originally appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on March 25, 2018. Pam Borton put everything she had into the University of Minnesota women’s basketball program for a dozen years. She worked holidays and weekends, guided immature teenage girls into confident women and collegiate competitors. With both wins and losses, she took flak…

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Lisa Bobyak: Living Fully Balanced

7/31/17 Lisa Bobyak wasn’t oblivious to the festering problems in the marriage that spanned two decades. When her husband said they needed to talk, she was prepared to seek help, to bridge the ravine, and to begin anew. She was resolved to enter marriage counseling when reality shattered illusion. The man she thought she knew had…

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Dear Daughter: Pack Your Roadmap to Resilience

Five years ago my daughter graduated from the all-girls’ high school where she learned more than how to ace exams. She competed for honors with girls who were laser-focused on college. She skated her heart out to make the varsity team before accepting it was beyond her reach. She learned about negotiation and conflict resolution…

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At Spare Key it’s all About the Bounce

2/26/17 When resilience is at the core of an organization’s mission it’s only fitting that its executive director exude tenacity, creativity, and energy. And that his favorite saying (greeted with trepidation and enthusiasm by his staff), is, “I have an idea.” That man is Erich Mische, who, for the past five years has led Spare…

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Norm Coleman’s Lessons from Loss

2/5/17 When Donald Trump was sworn in last month Norm Coleman witnessed  the peaceful transfer of power, though the New York native had supported several other candidates. I was curious about his view of the Trump presidency and the visceral reactions to it. Coleman has been a Democrat, a Republican, the mayor of St. Paul,…

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Grace, Gratitude and Giving

12/25/16 There is a family with an empty chair at the table today. I don’t know who they are or who once sat in the chair. I just know it is empty. There is also an intact family filled with gratitude and grace, every seat at their table filled. Though both families have a story…

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