After a day of conversations about community, connection, and care, someone grabbed my arm as I walked out of a session. “I just wanted to show you something,” he said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a pen and his notebook.It wasn’t just any...

Last week, Dr. Vivek Merthy, former US Surgeon General, spoke at a conference in Cincinnati. He discussed the current culture and its focus on wealth, fame, and power and described the need for counterculture actions, such as the power of being present for one...

Last week, I had the privilege of spending time with one of the most heart-centred, creative, and committed groups I’ve ever encountered—the Community Builders Team in Torbay, England. It’s hard to describe what made this gathering so special, but I’ll...

A Place to Gather On a recent trip back to Vancouver, workers constructed several wooden benches in my old neighbourhood. During my time there, I ran into friends and neighbours by having a place to sit and gather. These probably weren’t too expensive an...

We had been discussing an asset-based approach to building community connections. We have focused on being curious about the assets in the community, which sometimes requires a shift from being transactional to becoming more relational. Last week, Laura s...

I first met John O’Brien many years ago at a training session. At the end of the day, he read Oregon’s Journey to the group—a children’s book about Oregon the Bear, who dreams of returning to the forests of the Pacific Northwest, and Duke...

Home is Where the Heart is I was curious about a stump on our sidewalk that contained all sorts of items. On any given day, there might be jewelry, a ball, small toys, photos, bracelets, a squirt gun, and plastic flowers. Last week, I met a neighbor and asked ...

This week’s New York Times magazine was their “happiness issue.” It contained articles exploring the idea of happiness through the ages and the cultural forces that shape it. They start with a big statement that there’s a formula for ha...

You Belong HereThis message and welcome were outside a community center in my neighbourhood. I have always been a fan of sidewalk chalk and have been reminded of the power of people, places, and groups that extend radical hospitality. ABCD is based on the prem...

Several years ago, the Neighborhood Cafe began based on a suggestion from a patron and a partnership with residents, businesses and several churches. Advertised as the best free coffee in Westwood, the Thursday morning Café’ served as the excuse to be toget...