My oldest daughter has an acronym that’s popular with her generation – FOMO. Fear of Missing Out. She is loving her college experience, and she doesn’t want to miss a single opportunity to go on an adventure or experience something new, aside from going to class! I think there’s an equal and opposite kind of fear that’s also understandable in our day, and that’s FOJU. Fear of Joining Up. Fear of becoming a member. When we hear the word “member” we think of something tha

As Hurricane Florence begins to pound the east coast today with 100+ mph winds, I am writing in the comfort of my office, 3000 miles away, with nothing but the sound of traffic whizzing by my window. Should I care? We Californians have yet to feel the destructive power of a hurricane, so it can be hard to relate to it. When the World Trade Center was attacked 17 years ago, I was horrified like everyone else at the images on my TV screen…but it was not until I traveled to t

A group of visiting scholars from China was sitting around a table with me tonight, sharing their thoughts about friendship. We had just finished a meal together, and the topic of conversation was “Friends and how to make them.” We talked about the definition of friendship, and what makes a good friend. Some of us had friends that went all the way back to childhood. Others had made deep friendships that began in college. Still others had met a lifelong friend and partner