This being New Year's Eve Day, I wanted to take the opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone who has made my first year as a full-time mediator exciting and thoroughly enjoyable. I appreciate your support, encouragement, and patronage.

Happy New Year! Have a safe and wonderful New Year's Eve, and may 2015 bring you health, happiness, peace and success.

Now that December is here, I find myself musing about what the holidays mean to different people. This season is one that is supposed to be filled with goodwill, community, and joy - and it most often is. But I was looking for holiday cards the other day, and realized that it is also a season that seems to have become fraught with concern about political correctness. 

This message, which appeared in my Facebook feed a few weeks ago, captures my sentiments well:

We live in an interconnected world, in which we are exposed to different cultures and communities on an almost daily basis. Rather than taking offense where none is intended, I encourage everyone to take the opportunity this holiday season to seek out, learn from, and perhaps even arrive at a new level of appreciation and understanding of a perspective different than your own.

Happy Holidays!