The drive to the prison was long, which gave me time to practice my breathing, my embodiment, and to give myself a pep talk to build my courage, all while surrounded by the beautiful South Otago scenery.

The following of trends is often rooted in the need to feel like we belong to our tribe. Just as foot binding was once considered a marker of beauty and status that women voluntarily took part in, today's trends delineate subcultures and influence our perceptions of identity.

Yesterday I had a visit from Jehovah's Witnesses.  I think I converted them. 

Just kidding!  What really happened was 3 - 4 minutes of peaceful debate, during which time we found several points of agreement and several points of disagreement. 

AND we all walked away smiling.

Healthy debate is not dead. It is the gateway to peaceful conflict resolution.