April | 2018 | A Peace of My Mind

Michael Reid

April 26, 2018 by johnnoltner

Michael Reid played bass in a punk band and became addicted to heroin. He was strung out on the drug for ten years. His days revolved around petty crime to feed his addiction, which eventually landed him in prison for more than a year. After his release, Michael started volunteering at a food pantry. Over time, he was given more responsibility, and now Michael is in charge of a program that feeds more than 400 families each week. “You learn […]

Categories: Podcast • Tags: addiction, California, community, drugs, homeless, prison, service

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What is the world you want?

April 24, 2018 by johnnoltner

Sometimes we settle. We forget to aim high. We figure things are good enough, or they will never be better anyway, so we lower our expectations. It’s a mistake. We need to articulate our vision for a better world. We need to imagine better results. And we need to believe they are possible. So last week, at Edmonds Community College, in Lynnwood, Washington, we asked students and staff to tell us about the world they want to create and they […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: aim high, create, Dream, edmonds, hope, imagine, vision, washington

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Civil Discourse

April 16, 2018 by johnnoltner

In Washington DC last week, A Peace of My Mind set up a studio at the Joint Counsel of Extension Professionals’ Public Issues Leadership Development Conference. The theme of the gathering was Cultivating Civil Discourse, and we asked participants, “How have you cultivated civil discourse in the past year?” Given the tone of our national debate, and tuning into media outlets, my mood can be troubled, but spending time with a center full of people doing good work, I was […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: 4h, civil discourse, civility, connection, dialogue, extension, hope, peace, youth

Your odds are greatly improved…

April 14, 2018 by johnnoltner

It was time to be bold. I brought one of my books along yesterday when I attended a panel discussion on ending civil wars at the US Institute of Peace. I didn’t know who I wanted to give it to, but I imagined I might run across someone worth connecting with. One of the panelists was Nancy Lindborg, the President of the Institute, and as I listened to her speak, it only made sense I should give the book to […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: ask, Dream, lincoln memorial, MLK, peace, US Institute of Peace, USIP, washington DC

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Deanna Thompson

April 2, 2018 by johnnoltner

Deanna Thompson was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer at age 42 that had metastasized to her bones. The doctors told her she had fewer than five years, but when I interviewed her, it was more than six years after her diagnosis. She lives in St. Paul with her husband and two daughters and teaches religion at Hamline University. “Initially, I thought I was on sabbatical to get ready to die. Then it became clear that I wasn’t dying right […]

Categories: Podcast • Tags: cancer, community, grace, gratitude, illness, Minnesota, relationship, Saint Paul, St. Paul

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A Peace of My Mind

Building community and bridging divides through portraits and personal stories.

Monthly Archives: April 2018

Michael Reid

What is the world you want?

Civil Discourse

Your odds are greatly improved…

Deanna Thompson