Category: Empowerment

  • Are we not good enough?

    When the preteen girls of the South Morningside Primary School football team in Scotland (American soccer) won the highly regarded Edinburgh Schools cup last summer, they were elated. They soundly beat their opponent 5-2 in the finals, after narrowly getting through the semi-finals in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out. Winning the tournament was a big deal.…

  • What hundreds of thousands of people hope for in 2026

    On New Year’s Eve, the hopes and dreams of hundreds of thousands of people rained down on revelers in New York City’s Times Square. “In 2026, I hope to be on track to commission as an Army officer.” “We wish to become parents.” “I’m wishing for spiritual growth.” “I wish for a good year with…

  • The night the lights came on in Georgia

    About a month ago, something extraordinary happened in Georgia. Brilliant shades of pink, green and yellow flashed brightly across the sky. The aurora borealis, a spectacle usually reserved for the far north, paid an unexpected visit to the South. The brief wonder of the Northern Lights To create the light show we see, the sun…

  • Gratitude is an action

    The last few minutes before we start playing music can feel a bit chaotic. People chat as they get their coffee and take their seats. Parents try to corral their kids who are running around with friends. Band members get into position, tune instruments and get their music ready. For that short time, we’re all…

  • How will they remember you?

    Long after the last piece of candy was handed out to friendly little ghosts on Halloween, celebrations continued worldwide to honor the spirits of our ancestors. In Hispanic communities with Latin American and Mexican roots, family members and friends remembered deceased loved ones on Día de los Muertos, the “Day of the Dead.” The living…

  • Why this introvert chose to hug strangers for hours

    As a self-proclaimed “extroverted introvert,” I enjoy being social – for a time. And then I crave my own solitary bunker and personal space. I hug my friends and family of course, but even then, I’ve never been the most physically demonstrative person. So hugging strangers for hours last weekend was a bit of a…

  • Jane Goodall’s parting message for us isn’t about chimps at all

    Even at 91, renowned primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall’s passing last week caught the world by surprise. Her once blond hair now gray, Dr. Goodall still sported her signature ponytail as she carried a full schedule into her 90’s. She remained focused and energetic. She took her last breath in California while on her latest…

  • We have the power to fix this

    When traveling in Florida recently as college football season was just ramping up, my husband and I went to see dueling pianos at a local restaurant’s bar on a Friday night. True to form, two talented keyboard players led rousing renditions of songs requested by patrons. The more cash you paired with your request, the…

  • This 66-year-old LSU freshman finally went after his dream

    Think you’re too old (or too young… financially strapped… not smart enough… too overcommitted… without the right opportunities…) to go after what you really want? Even (and maybe especially) when the world feels like it’s spinning out of control, Kent Broussard’s incredible story will change your mind. THE DREAM Kent grew up an avid Louisiana…

  • When you find yourself yelling on a plane

    When Hailey Ann Sand learned that her beloved grandfather was close to death, she immediately booked a flight, hoping to get there in time to say goodbye. The first leg of her trip was delayed. She had only 25 minutes to make her connection in Denver. Deplaning from row 31 near the back and making…