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A Peace of My Mind

Exploring the meaning of peace, one story at a time.

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Monthly Archives: April 2018

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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

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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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“You learn about humility, because you have to start at the bottom all over again.” 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. "When you are newly sober, you have this euphoria, because your endorphins start working again. You have a two- to three-month period where you feel great, and then all the problems you put on the shelf for the last ten years start flying at you from every direction. That’s the tough part, because you have to learn how to deal with that. No longer can you hide your problems by sticking a needle in your arm and going to nirvana. I’ve been clean for 20 years. You become older and wiser. You look at younger people and say, “No! Don’t do that!” But as much as you’d like to impart wisdom, no one will listen, because they’ve got to see it through for themselves. In about 2003, I was a caregiver for a person who was mentally ill, and he started coming to the food pantry. I was summoned to carry his bags. I saw these ladies working, and one of them was struggling with a garbage bin that was about to tip over, so I went up and held the bin. They were like, “Why don’t you volunteer?” And, of course, you don’t want to say no because they were really nice. So I said, “OK.” Then you find you’re running the place. Now I’m actually working for the benefit of others instead of being self-serving. It was a whole new concept. Families come here to pick up food every week, and they always personally thank us. We get to know their names, they get to know our names, and we develop a relationship with them. People always stop me on the way out and say, “Thank you” and “God bless you.” How can you not feel good about that?" #thenextstep #nottheendofthestory #nevergiveup #addiction #recovery #hope #service #apeaceofmymind #mypeacestory #americanstories

Yup. You can just throw the exhibit in the washing machine. And today is that day. #laundry #sqeakyclean #peace #cleaningup #apeaceofmymind #americanstories #travelingexhibition

From our series @edmondscommunitycollege @edcctritonlife #whatdoyouwant #abetterworld #imagine #apeaceofmymind

"What is the world you want to create?" From our series @edmondscommunitycollege @edcctritonlife see more responses on our website (link in profile) #create #abetterworld #youneedothers #together #edmondscommunitycollege #washingtonstate #apeaceofmymind #americanstories #mypeacestory

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