To stumble is not to fall

but to move forward more quickly

Hey there, hi. Welcome. I am writing this post as an introduction, a brief preview of what is (or what I hope might be) to come with this newsletter. In doing so, I am metaphorically looking down and kicking the dirt (but grinning)—feeling apprehensive and bashful (but eager). Welcome to the start of my journey.

I make no promises other than it will be just that—a journey.

I titled this post after a proverb (African? Haitian? Do you know?) that I believe will prove quite fitting: To stumble is not to fall, but to move forward more quickly. I expect to stumble quite a bit as I navigate this rocky terrain of “forgiveness;” but in stumbling along, I hope to make progress, to move forward in my own thinking. And to make that progress, I need you. Your thoughts and reactions, comments and criticisms, will be invaluable to all of us—we’ll grow in knowledge and understanding together. I therefore hope you’ll journey with me.

By means of introduction, I am a developmental scientist with a PhD in child study and human development. I work as a research professor at a “Little Ivy” university in the Northeast. Broadly, my research is focused on positive youth development and character development. I am part of a research institute that engages in researcher-practitioner partnerships, seeking to understand “what goes right in the lives of youth.” We do this work all over the world, with all types of organizations, and with all kinds of people. My experiences as such—navigating academia and doing work that seeks to promote thriving for all—might make compelling fodder for another, possibly worthwhile publication. But that is not my focus here.

Since my dissertation days (long and crushing as they were), I have sought to unpack the perplexing and seemingly mystical phenomenon of forgiveness. To turn anger into love, pain into purpose, is fascinating. What does it mean? How is it done? Is it real? Worthwhile? The advocates seem to think so.

Or is it ignorant and naive? Weak and avoidant? Dangerous, even? Enter the skeptics.

As an academic, I have published peer-reviewed articles and handbook chapters on forgiveness, interrogating it as a character strength; I have developed research projects, illuminating the lived experiences of forgiving, in partnership with some of the most impressive people in the most astounding circumstances (you’ll certainly be learning more about those people and projects here!). In this newsletter I intend to reflect on that academic work, but also to advance it in a (perhaps) more engaging, popular, and accessible way. I’ll be asking some questions, striving to answer others, and (with your help, and excitedly) expecting many more to arise.

To forgive or not to forgive, that is my question. As a first step, in the inaugural month of this newsletter, I will spend January writing posts that attempt to describe forgiveness—what it is, what it isn’t, and what promises and perils have arisen and may arise accordingly. Deal? Deal.

Okay, I’ve spent enough time looking down and kicking the dirt (and the proverbial can down the road). It’s time to look up and ahead, and to kick off (stumble as I may).

I am a truth seeker and wisdom chaser, a scholar and a mystic—and I am ready to find out what that all means.