I found out about Initiatives of Change through Action for Life. As a recent university graduate, I thought that running away from the United States was the best way to deal with my anger towards certain foreign policy and a weak job market (I didn't know how good I had it ;)

At times it seems that we all need to keep our eyes firmly on the future.

Recently, I had the chance to spend some time with a young team of IofC folks in Oaxaca, Mexico. They met with an agenda to strengthen their friendships and do some strategic planning for their activities as a group. I was invited to be part of the gathering and add in what I could to their discussions and time together.

This weekend I had the chance to support some friends as they competed in a triathlon out in the Virginia Piedmont. If you have never spectated an endurance race, I would highly recommend it. I still remember coming across the 2009 New York City Marathon by surprise one cool, fall morning and how inspired I felt by it. Incredibly encouraging and uplifting.

Wow. Monday was a stunning day in the United States.

I woke up and read the news for the first time via an actual newspaper. Very 20th century. But seeing the pictures in print and reading them off of paper somehow brought it home for me. It was real and I spent the morning trying to place my emotional response. On one hand, I felt a sense of justice-served and yet I found myself wondering about the relevance of the occasion. Given that Bin Laden was a figurehead for an ideology, surely this would mean closure on some level, but not a conclusion.

Moving from one country to another, permanently, is a big deal. But we count ourselves fortunate to be able to make this move.

We can all choose to take responsibility for putting things to rights.

I came across this aptly titled piece out of Alabama today: Signs of Trust: Student, interpreter forge 12-year relationship. Please give it a read. It’s a story that’s so simple that it connects on so many levels: relationally, vocationally, spiritually, emotionally, physically. There is a lot that we can learn from it.

Thanks to WikiHow, I feel like I had one of my first breakthroughs on trustbuilding – it’s not just about me – it’s about you!

Forgive and forget. Seriously? Is it that easy?

Recently, I wrote about an editorial by Kansas City Star columnist Diane Stafford. She offered four ideas on how to rebuild trust in the workplace. In brief: