"The Terrorist's Son" Tells the Story of How the Child Was Raised to Hate, Yet Chose A Different Path: For This, We All Give Thanks and Can Learn from This Child's Journey to Manhood and Away from That Place- for Yom Kippur

Image of a Beautiful Scottish Castle Captured by Amelia Hallsworth Photography of London- Draw a Breath of Contemplative Beauty! Marcus Aurelius Might Have Loved This

Traditional Exterior by London Photographers Amelia Hallsworth Photography

This morning bodes has a fresh snap in the air! Even though the sun is not up yet, I can see signs that autumn is forging ahead. What is it about autumn that enchants me? I love to witness the changing of the season. It's like fast-speed photography.

Change. Why do we resist it so? It is a constant. When we experience beautiful moments, we wish that they would last forever. It is lyrical, exquisite and breathtaking... We hold our breath and try to hold on tightly to the moment and keep it here! When we are in the midst of anguish or despair, we hold our breath and shut our eyes tightly... just... trying... to ... get... through... it. I visualize it as being much like a long march to Moscow, in the snow... with no boots. March, march, march...

The secret to finding more peacefulness with both of these sets of experiences is to keep breathing and try to stay fully present in the here and now... even though it sometimes means staying with the unpleasantness, the sense of foreboding, the crush of disappointment. Change will work its magic, in any situation.   I am reading Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius, who understood this, back in 100 A.D. His journals began when he was a teenager and continued through his life. If you have not read this book, newly translated (in 2002) with an introduction by Gregory Hays, I would invite you to do so. Good morning!

"Family Breakdown: Helping Children Hang on to Both Their Parents" by Penelope Leach, 2014

Dave Nee Foundation Tribute to Dave Nee - Reminder of How Lawyers Are 4th in the List of Professions to Lose Members to Suicide

Flying Elephants and Diving Giraffes: "Beautiful Summer in France!" Adds Just the Dash of Whimsy We Need As We Say "Au Revoir" to Summer, 2014!

"Talk to Strangers" Is a Powerful Movie About Child Custody Wars- Trailer Might Make You Consider Alternative

"I Am Adorable" and the Power of Story

     The other day, I was talking with a family and the young girl  said "Well, it's actually pretty simple. I am adorable... and my brother just needs to learn how to be more adorable. Can you help us with that?" Talk about trying to keep a straight face... I glanced at the parents and they were having trouble keeping their smiles under some semblance of control, too. It got me thinking about many things (of course). One of them was the nature of bias and the power of story.

      Actually, she had a point. Once a negative event occurs, you have a "data point." Then, if you have another one, a "story" starts to develop around it. Depending on how that story develops... the themes and direction it takes, that story begins to influence the behavior of everyone else involved in that circle. And, pretty soon, you have a series of stories, which will often "match" the first story, because of how our biases will often reinforce the original story... which relied on that little tiny interpretation of that little teensie weensie event... which no one may even remember. 

Maybe we might consider this when we are "sure" that we "know the truth when we see it...?" Perhaps, we can take a breath, step back and ask ourselves "What can I not see yet? What else am I missing?"

The Power of Empathy: It is the Key to All Types of Mediation and Connecting in Shared Interest

"Split- A Film About Divorce"- For Children from 6-13

The 1971 Coke Commercial "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" Which Reflected the Dreams of Unifying One Nation, Where People Would Not Be Judged (Or Separated) by the Color of Their Skin or The Roots of Their Heritage... So... Where Are We Today, Brothers and Sisters?