“Hurt people hurt people.” ~ Will Bowen

I was co-facilitating a meeting. We’d just explained to a member with a motion to make where that goes on our agenda. And when.

Her response was to mutter something about IF I get called on. Not when, If. Ouch!

Later in the meeting, when her motion didn’t pass, she had more choice words to say. Including how she wasn’t sure she was up for coming to these meetings anymore. I bit my tongue.

It’s not the first time she’s pushed my buttons. Probably not the last.

But if she’s managed to push…

Time Warp

Some addictions are bad for us — like crack or gambling or getting shot out of cannons.

Some addictions are good for us — like saving ten percent of our income, bouncing on a mini-tramp, or relishing roasted rutabagas.

Then there are addictions that can go either way.

Like my addiction to posting every day on Medium. It’s not good in and of itself though good things flow out of it, just not after midnight.

For example, by writing every day, my writing’s gotten a lot better. Just not the writing I do after midnight.

By writing every day, I’ve…

Wednesday Prompt

If I don’t set a timer, I’ll spend hours playing on Canva.com!

I’m currently learning my way around the program while selecting my brand colors and fonts with an eye toward designing a logo. Something colorful and eye-catching that looks, feels, and smells just like me.

But who exactly is that? And can she be essentialized down to three main colors — even if they are a golden burnt yellow, an autumnal burnt orange, and a warm, vibrant purple? And yes, I need a neural as well.

Fonts are even harder — one for headlines, one for body text, and…

Monday Prompt

The meeting was finally over.

As the church board president, co-facilitator, and all-round responsiblé, I was spent. Drained as well. I wasn’t prepared for how easily my emotional buttons would get pushed.

For example, instead of saying, when you call on me, I heard someone say if you call on me. We reassured them that their proposal would get a full discussion, which it did. Our round-robin style allowed everyone to share, so this person got to have their turn but not dominate.

Their proposal did not get enough votes to fly. They weren’t happy, but the rest of the…

A Middle-Pause Pump-Priming Prompt

We can’t let Black History Month end without talking and sharing about it.

In light of recent events, the killing of George Floyd, the vital role of Black Lives Matter, this history is finally starting to get the notice it deserves.

More movies, books, and stories are coming out all the time. We’re learning that there is not a single area of U.S. life where Black people have not made a contribution — however hidden.

And hidden is the operative word. Only recently did many of us learn about the role of the African American women mathematicians who made it…

What if we just all set aside a little bit of love
for the unloveable. Not a whole lot,
but a wee little bit every day. Not so much
that we’d miss it, you know. Not even an ounce.
Just a pinch. In a snuff box or even a matchbox.

But if we all did this, 24/7, 365, the little pinches
would add up. Pretty soon we’d need a bigger box.
Maybe eventually, a whole household could
fill a shoebox with their pinches of love for the unloveable.

What if each block pooled their pinches and filled up a liquor…

Cats/Dogs

First of all, let’s be frank. No one really likes to think about death, do they? Or admit liking to think about death, with the possible exception of a few necrophiles here and there.

So let me rephrase this. No one likes the think about their OWN death, do they? Death is not only a taboo topic cause, after all, it’s uh, morbid, but as hard as life can be at times, it’s basically all we have for certain.

That is until cats arrived on the scene and changed everything.

Whyzat?

Duh! Cats have nine lives!

It’s true. They do.

And not just because of…