‘Better Angels’ — Pushing Back on Political Polarization
As seen in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on March 24, 2019 Bill Doherty gets emotional when he recites a favorite quote from President Abraham Lincoln’s first inaugural address: “We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic…
Finding a Way Through Alzheimer’s
As seen in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on March 10, 2019. It’s been a painful slide into the sunset for Patty Sagert and her family as the man who was a successful entrepreneur and family patriarch has slowly left them, another victim of Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, a group…
Change is difficult. And inevitable. And involves choices.
This column originally appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on February 24, 2019. Bad news comes on many fronts — a cancer diagnosis, a death, or loss of a job. While we often can’t control the circumstances, we can control our response. Which means life can deliver us to a crossroads with a challenge…
“I’m 50 Years Old Now and I’m Still Thinking About That High School Counselor”
This piece originally appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on February 3, 2019. The words “don’t bother” or “you won’t make it” don’t resonate with Miki Huntington. In fact, when told not to bother, her instinct is always to push back, for if one doesn’t try or ask, one will never know. Huntington has done so…
Enduring Lessons in Resiliency and Empowerment
This piece originally appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on January 20, 2019. Have you discovered your life’s purpose? Gloria Perez found hers early in life. Perez spent 10 years in a two-parent family committed to faith, education, and the community. Then her father died of cancer. As a young girl, she witnessed the struggles of…
Bending, Blending and Setting Boundaries for an Even Better Year
This piece originally appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on January 6, 2019. We’re days into a new year but I’m still thinking about the one we left behind. December was a whirlwind month, filled with fun, obligations, cheer, reverence, and stress. While it’s still fresh, I’m reflecting on what worked, what didn’t work,…
Dear Kyle, Thanks for Making the World a Better Place
This piece originally appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on December 23, 2018. Have you seen the “Dear Kyle” video? It’s a real tearjerker. You won’t find it on Netflix. But you may have seen it online. I’m referring to the video about Kyle Rudolph, the tight end nominated for the Walter Payton NFL Man…
Wings for Widows: Offering a Better Way to Navigate the Aftermath of a Loss
This column originally appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on December 9, 2018. Word came by phone, delivered by a stranger I never did meet. Nine years ago, my husband, the father of four, died in a hospital emergency room after efforts to coax his heart back into service fell short. In an…
Embracing Our Expiration Date
This piece originally appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on November 22, 2018. We’re born with an expiration date. Yet, it’s not the nature of our culture for us to speak much about the inevitable. Until it smacks us in the face. Flames claim homes. Cars collide. Cancer visits. Regardless of what event shepherds…
Lessons from Military Life and Its Transitions
This piece originally appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on November 11, 2018. Teresa graduated from high school with no direction. When she joined the Navy, she had never been anywhere, done anything, or worked in any way. She quickly discovered the military is more than a job – it’s a way of life.…
REALTORS® Stepping Forward and Living the “Better” Choice
It was dark and rainy and Saturday morning to boot. My husband, the CEO of Minnesota REALTORS®, had signed us up to participate in the REALTORS® Relief Run, held in conjunction with the National Association of REALTORS annual meeting. Just a day earlier I would have tried to talk Chris out of attending, leveraging his…
We can be better. If we choose.
This piece originally appeared in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on November 1, 2018. As I was born to a Jewish mother and Catholic father, it feels poetic that a Catholic priest shared a Jewish man’s life-changing wisdom with me nearly a decade ago. I was in a dark place, trying to make sense of…