In a world full of noise, deep listening is more than hearing; it is the practice of being fully present so that another person feels valued, understood, and safe to express their truth. In a world filled with noise and distraction, deep listening is a radical act of care.

Last week on the 'All Learning Reimagined' podcast. I unpacked the Is-Be Learning Framework for all parents and educators who are looking for guidance towards a new way of guiding children.

The last Christmas we were all together hangs over memory like the fog did that year in the Alberni valley. It was a time of gathering, two years and more of labor summoning so many together where once there were but a few. And it was a time of ending.

The church stewards had warned me to expect an overflow crowd at the Christmas Eve service, and like overgrown elves they had busied themselves around the building, stringing wires and sound systems in the cold auditorium kept that way to save money. The snow had come early, and our food bank was already depleted.

A day without laughter is a day wasted – Charlie Chaplin

Shame is often described as the painful emotion arising from a belief that one is flawed, unworthy, or unacceptable. Unlike guilt, which relates to actions (“I did something wrong”), shame attaches to identity (“I am wrong”). It is intensely physical; felt as heaviness in the chest, averted eyes, a flush of heat, or the urge to shrink and disappear.

“You have failed.” One of the most devastating statements we can receive. Only, there is one that is even more painful: “You are a failure.” Which doesn’t just question the performance, but the whole existence of a human being.

How come that fear of failing and pressure to succeed seem to run our lives? Is this a helpful approach? What does this approach cost us in our relationships, our learning capacity, our overall society?