Who matters to you most? And how has that changed over the past year? Perhaps a better question is – how has the way you relate to those that matter to you most changed? In this past week we have been surrounded by statistics of death and loss due to Covid-19. Each of these statistics…
What home learning have you modeled?
This week marks, in Scotland at least, the end of the school term. And what an extraordinary, challenging, unnatural and demanding term it has been. Who would have ever have thought as we started 2020 that we would have had a whole term of home learning for our young people, with school buildings closed for…
An opportunity for self development?
What has changed for you in this strange DC world in which we are living? That seems like a very odd question indeed as I imagine that pretty much everything has changed. But as usual, questions are simply starting points to a little self exploration. More than ever, this is a time for questioning all…
Observations from a DC world: Connection
This has probably been one of the strangest, darkest, scariest and most surreal weeks that many of us will have ever faced. Daily, things are changing. I planned this Lent series of Blogs BC – Before Corona. We now find ourselves living in a DC world: During Corona. And what I find almost impossible to…
Specific acts of appreciation
I wrote the first draft of this post last week, in anticipation of having a very busy three weeks. All that has changed. Like most of us, I have had work, community, social, school, and university information events cancelled. And I find myself with unexpected time in an environment where things are changing rapidly. However,…
Be kind
Last week I was waxing lyrical about the arrival of spring, whilst enjoying glorious sunshine and colourful new life. An hour or so after writing that post, it was grey and raining again…..ho hum. But the lightening days and burgeoning growth in gardens and parks continues apace, marvelously unstoppable no matter how grey the skies. …
Choosing Fairtrade hope for Lent
Spring is finally in the air, and with it – hope. Hope for new life, for colour to return to what has been a drab and dank landscape, hope for lighter evenings and warmer weather. Every year at this time, I marvel at the miracle of spring and the vast and complex cosmic spreadsheet that…
Lent ideas – start something
Lent begins today. What are your Lent ideas for 2020? Are you someone who normally gives something up for Lent? If so, let me ask you – WHY? Not to be argumentative or inflammatory in any way, but I’d love you to take a minute to scout around inside of yourself for a clear motivation…
What we model to the next generation matters
Over these past few weeks I have been musing here on a series of character traits that I believe are important that we model to the next generation. This all started from this marvelous quote from Carol B Hillman, a professor of childhood education: One of the most important things we can do for young…
Having courage to encourage
What does courage mean to you? Perhaps you think of someone facing serious illness or death with grace and acceptance. Or a public example like Malala perhaps, the Pakistani activist for female education. Or school girl Greta Thunberg, the Swedish climate activist who recently addressed the United Nations This month sees the 30th anniversary of…