My daughter Maggie is two and attends preschool at St. Paul three days a week. Picking her up one day recently, I asked her teachers what some of her favorite activities are at school. To my surprise, they said she is loving art: painting, coloring,…
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Just last weekend I went to a dinner event with my family and one of the hosts inquired of me, “You work at St. Paul?” and then added, “it’s such a lovely facility.” In the short time since I started serving here, I’ve heard this compliment often. I…
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I was sitting in the back of a bus with some friends recently as the driver wound his way through some narrow streets in downtown Tel Aviv. One of these friends told a story with a closing line that caused others of us to erupt with laughter. It’s ha…
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As Thanksgiving nears, we recall that gratitude is something we best cultivate and express every day, not just once a year. Of course, few people actually restrict their gratitude to the fourth Thursday in November. Birthdays, anniversaries of variou…
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Last Halloween, as we made our way through our neighborhood trick-or-treating, my kids head up the sidewalk to a modest little bungalow. A few older kids walked around us, gushing with excitement. I overheard them say, “Seriously!?! That guy just gav…
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They stroll across Lombard Street alone or in small packs, sometimes two, three, or five people moving slowly. Or they emerge from the park near the fountain, head toward the street, then without notice turn and retrace their steps back into the park…
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As the air grows crisper, I’m reminded that fall is my favorite season. The chilly nights, the jackets and sweatshirts, the rustling leaves – they are all delightful to me. Perhaps it’s that, despite its place two-thirds of the way through the calend…
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If you ask an ornithologist about the Canada Goose, maybe they’ll tell you about bone structure or eating habits. City planners and urban developers would likely refer to them as a public nuisance in suburban green spaces. My three-year-old has yet t…
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Three-year-old Quinn Waters lives in a suburban home just outside Boston, Massachusetts. Like many kids his age, Quinn loves things like going to the park, swimming at the nearby pool, or trying to keep up with his older siblings. Unfortunately, this…
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At 16 years old, Greta Thunberg has sat down with world leaders, spoken to crowds of thousands, and addressed countless journalists. While others her age might be studying trigonometry and going to homecoming, she’s inspiring youth around the world t…
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Ask yourself to name your most contented moments in life and chances are good you’ll think of times when everything clicked. Positive circumstances prevailed. A relationship came together beautifully. Life worked in your favor. You were at peace. I w…
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One Thursday morning late in August, I joined the preschool staff and a number of other St. Paul staff members for training in CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) and pediatric first aid. I first learned CPR and first aid as a Boy Scout a few decade…