Avoid Exclamation Points! Or Not?

Avoid Exclamation Points! Or Not?

Want to start an argument with a group of grammarians? Just bring up the subject of exclamation points, and the verbal sparring will begin. SOCK!! WHAM!! POW!! Grammar purists and most writers argue for self-restraint. Mark Twain, in an 1895 essay on writing funny...
Is Disagreeing Agreeably on Facebook Possible?

Is Disagreeing Agreeably on Facebook Possible?

I created a private Facebook group nearly two years ago that focused on constructive dialogue. The dream for the group – Disagreeing Agreeably Is an Art – was to create a platform on Facebook that would encourage people from the entire spectrum of philosophical...
Bumps Along the Two-Way Street of Communication

Bumps Along the Two-Way Street of Communication

Preacher and teacher of preachers, Tom Long, now retired from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, addressed a gathering of ministers a few years ago. To illustrate the changing cultural context for many churches today, he offered an insightful metaphor. In...
On Speaking and Keeping Silent

On Speaking and Keeping Silent

The conversation was flowing as usual at a dinner with friends when suddenly my friend grew very angry. I did not see this outburst coming. He asked a question about the recent national election, which I responded to in a very polite manner. He accused me of a lack of...
This Thanksgiving, Leave a Lasting Message

This Thanksgiving, Leave a Lasting Message

Pass the gravy, the biscuits and the awkward conversations. They’re coming to a dinner table near you this Thanksgiving. But they don’t have to. Rather than make your point, I encourage you to leave a message instead. To be fair, life during the global pandemic caused...