One quiet June morning I was riding bikes with my family. I listened to the birds chirping their songs, and enjoyed the warmth of the sun on my arms. As I was coasting downhill, I felt so free - I revelled in the moment enveloped by a full-body grin.  Within seconds, everything changed. While I took a turn, my tires slipped out from under me and the world went sideways. Splat. My right leg and arm collided with the road. I had a heavy feeling in my chest and a buzzing sensati

When “Rude” Becomes Grounds for Punishment In my work with Parks and Recreation departments, I’ve seen a pattern emerge among staff at community centers. A patron might be curt, condescending, or simply unfriendly, and the immediate request from staff is: “Can we ban them? They were rude.” It’s understandable. No one enjoys being spoken to disrespectfully. Rudeness stings. But here’s the problem: there’s no policy against being rude. Unless a patron is blatantly harassing som

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how quickly we assume certain things are common. Common sense, common knowledge, common business...