Dear Friends, Although Thanksgiving was full of gratitude and fun, December’s panic arrived early this week. I became cranky about my “to do” list. Worst of all, conversations stopped at our house as I holed up in my basement determined to master the schedule. Apprehension about the upcoming holidays is about more than timelines. Many of … Read more
This past week Obama and Trump met for the first time. What? How could that be? They had never met before? No wonder their meeting lasted ninety minutes. Until this first rendezvous, information about each other was based on generalities, negative stereotypes and “knowledge” sourced from other people’s opinions. Although the recent campaign rhetoric pains … Read more
Sometimes I wonder about “geeking out” over enabling conversation. My passion has to do with compassion, our ability, regardless of circumstances, to deeply connect with others. Compassion is beautiful to witness and at the recent TEDxMileHigh Conversation Café` great empathy was present! It wasn’t that The Conversation Café was a “cry fest”. The empathy I … Read more
Last July my husband and I attended our first TEDxMileHigh conference, “Make + Believe”. The experience was awe-inspiring. The dynamic speakers gave us much to digest and mull over that truly our brains ached. During the breaks Jay and I headed outside for fresh air, Italian sodas (thank you Backyard Soda Company) and, most importantly, … Read more
At a recent A Table In Time gathering we had one hundred guests. Despite a common spiritual thread and consistent opportunities to see one another, dinner guests came to the table not really knowing much about each other. In our daily lives we focus on “to do’s”, life’s many logistics, leaving little time to go … Read more
Not too long ago a dear friend and I enjoyed conversational banter for almost ninety minutes on the phone. It had been a while since we’d connected. We shared fun stories about random stuff, touching also on a work challenge and my kids’ lives Yet for a few days afterwards, I had a nagging thought … Read more
Sometimes we just don’t understand another person’s viewpoint. We’re befuddled, even distressed. This is particularly evident during an election year. Many of us, myself included, shy away from making too many political references. Or, for others, posts on Facebook seem like the only safe place to be fervent. This past summer the “Nuns on the … Read more
Undoubtedly we will disagree with people. For whatever reason, we don’t see “eye- to-eye”. Around the table, we struggle to thoughtfully engage with our perceived adversaries. During an election year differences feel especially heightened, limiting the depth of our interactions. In our minds, consciously or subconsciously, we’ve already decided that meaningful conversations aren’t possible. Why … Read more
Every person can create and engage in thoughtful conversation around the table. When glancing around a friend’s back yard last weekend, filled with 24 guests for a “Summer Send Off “ party, I was amazed: each guest was fully participating in dialog with someone else. No one was quiet! Guests seemed to glide easily around … Read more
Sometimes people don’t want to engage in conversation. For whatever reason, at that moment in time, “small talk” or the opportunity for deeper dialogue doesn’t hold sway. Even when guests are rude, I know it’s not personal. Still, why the rush? Where are they going? Are there some secret codes that I’m missing? Whether celebrating … Read more