Erik and Margaret (not their real names) met and fell in love quite young. They married in the early 1950s under controversial circumstances, as Margaret was a few years older than Erik, but their love endured. Erik worked as a furniture upholsterer. It was hard work, but he enjoyed working with his hands, and the people he met and got …
A Blog about my ‘Why’
So here we are early in 2015, and it is one of those times—of many—during the year that causes me to pause and reflect. It is the time when I look at my list of courses that I want to take and subjects that I want to learn more about, and I prioritize it so I can “make it happen.” …
Because We All Matter, especially young people
Growing up in Toronto, the seventh son and twelfth child of 13, in a liberal Jewish family, it was hard to get a word in edgewise in a family of strong, individual personalities. Adults may want kids to remain quiet and stay in the background, but kids don’t want to be that way. We wanted attention. We wanted to be …
Celebrations, Trust and the Little Things that make a big difference
Dale, the leader of a noted local jazz trio, was in the living room playing live jazz on his bass, while Maria, a noted local personal chef was in the kitchen preparing a very special dinner. Phyllis and Ernie had a good life, but their later years had not been very kind to them at all. Pillars of the community, …
Overcoming challenges in the Relationships with our Work Family
In December 2016, I completed a course with Dr. Paul Homoly about the craft of being a speaker. I have had a dream of being a keynote speaker for more than 20 years, and now, I am finally ready. I already have three speaking engagements booked, and two of the organizations are outside of dentistry. My first keynote speech is …
Grumpy Dave. Everyone has a story
Our provincial elections are about to occur and my thoughts turn to how fortunate we are to live in a place where social democracy is allowed to flourish and succeed. We have freedom to act and behave reasonably, to dream and find a way to bring that dream to reality, and to have a government that is freely elected, governs …
Playing the Piano and The Gift of Music
His name was Court Stone. A confirmed bachelor, he lived in an old house, in a beautiful old neighbourhood of Toronto, about a 25-minute walk from my house. He looked after his elderly father, who I always heard stories about but never saw. Apparently he had dementia. Every week, I walked to his house for my one-hour piano lesson. I …
Finding Balance while trying to start a new Career
In my March 13, 2013, blog, “Trying to Find Balance,” I discussed how a consulting business has turned into a second full-time job for me, making it hard for me to find balance. In the comments section, our colleague Andy Alas asked to learn more about that second career. I hope to expand upon that here. I am also an …
Ideas for Team Based Spirit Challenges, how I got started
Happy New Year! I don’t want to seem like a downer, but the February doldrums are just around the corner. That means it is time to start planning my office Team Spirit Challenge! Eleven years ago, in the middle of February, our practice was running smoothly and we were taking care of our patients and each other well. But we …
We need to listen more and talk less
Jim came to me as a new patient some years ago. He noted that he had received regular dental care in the past, so I asked him what the previous dental office had done or not done that lead to his decision to change dental care providers. He told me that every time he went, there was something else that …