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A Peace of My Mind

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

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Tag: Minnesota

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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

Young Voices

November 1, 2016 by johnnoltner

For the past four years I have worked with 5th graders at FAIR School in Crystal as artist in residence for their Perspectives Program. Each fall we install the exhibit, do a presentation for all 85 students and then over several days, I visit each classroom and work with students to explore their own thoughts about peace. They write their ideas in peace journals which we eventually pass on to a crew of artists from Stages Theater who craft the […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: crystal, fair, listen, Minnesota, peace, stories, theater, voices, writing, youth

4

Kelly Connole

April 14, 2016 by johnnoltner

“A number of years ago I was teaching a seminary course called “Pottery and Proclamation.” One woman had recently lost her partner to cancer and was mourning the loss of someone incredibly important to her.As she learned how to make pots, she decided it would be powerful for her to make a pot to hold her partner’s ashes. There is an understanding in Native American cultures that you’re making pots out of your ancestors. We all become part of the earth, so when that earth is used to make […]

Categories: Podcast • Tags: a peace of my mind, art, black and white, Carleton College, Empty Bowls, Minnesota, Northern Clay Center, Northfiled, peace, photography, portrait, pottery, stories

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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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