Not profanity—I’m talking about powerful, positive four-letter words. The most obvious example of these is love. I doubt many would question that it qualifies. Love is what allows us to act kindly toward others and to care about things that are important to them. What might be surprising is the second word in my pairing. It too, can be a good and potent four-letter word, but we don’t often think of something as good when it is inherently difficult, or frustrating, or—to put

The first days of school each fall are plump with potential. I remember as a child being excited about the idea of a new school year as a fresh start--a chance to put my best intentions into practice. Through that first week of school, everything was new and held the excitement of the unknown. I would come prepared with the name of my new teacher and the number of my classroom, but those were only introductory clues. Would my teacher be nice? Would the coursework be difficul

The first days of school each fall are plump with potential. I remember as a child being excited about the idea of a new school year as a fresh start--a chance to put my best intentions into practice. Through that first week of school, everything was new and held the excitement of the unknown. I would come prepared with the name of my new teacher and the number of my classroom, but those were only introductory clues. Would my teacher be nice? Would the coursework be difficul