Recently, we had a heart-felt discussion at our staff meeting.

From some recent feedback, I had learned that there has been an unusual swing of negative energy at the company lately. It's not really important what precipitated the situation -- what is significant is that this energy seems to have overtaken our small and usually tight-knit group.

This was an unusual situation for us and I was unsure about how to handle it. The people who work at Tribble Creative Group are caring, compassionate individuals who are not prone to negativity. When considering the situation, I could only surmise that to some degree, none of us were aware of how we might be contributing to the atmosphere.

So, I started staff meeting by reading a passage from a meditation book I have. It was quite long, but here is the most important theme:

"Everything you do right now ripples outward and affects everyone. Your posture can shine your heart or transmit anxiety. Your breath can radiate love or muddy the room in depression. Your glance can awaken joy. Your words can inspire freedom. Your every act can open hearts and minds. Opening from heart to all, you live as a gift to all. In every moment, you are either opening or closing. Right now, you are choosing to open and give fully or you are waiting. How does your choice feel?"

After I read that, we talked about the negative atmosphere we had suddenly found ourselves in. I must have talked for about 10 minutes, with tears in my eyes and a catch in my throat. I told them all that we deserve respect and love and compassion -- that we are all we have and we should be about celebrating our differences, not tearing each other down. I sat there, with 16 people in rapt attention, a few with tears in their eyes as well, while I poured my heart out about love, empathy and caring about each other.

Afterwards, most people stopped in my office for a hug, a kiss, and thanks for bringing to light something that needed to be dealt with. It made me realize how our actions--minute and huge -- make a difference in people's lives.

The other night, I ran into a friend while leaving an event. As he went to introduce his guest to me, I was surprised to feel a strong negative reaction from her. In fact, she didn't seem interested in meeting me at all.

I called my friend the next day to ask if he knew what precipitated this response. He wasn't sure, but thought that we had met before and I had somehow offended her. My only thought was to call her and suggest that I sensed some discomfort and that I wanted to know why. I left her a voice mail about just that. She left me a voice mail back, grateful that I had taken the time to call her. Then she recounted a moment, over a year ago, when she came over to me at a restaurant to introduce herself. She held out her hand to shake mine, and she said I ignored her and walked away.

This is something I have no memory of. Nor is it in my nature to have done so. But it must have happened, in some way, for some reason; otherwise it would not have been so firmly implanted in her mind.

As horrified as I was to learn about this unintended slight on my part, I was grateful that our paths had crossed again and that she was willing to share her experience with me. We agreed to put the incident behind us and to forge a new relationship. This conversation became an important reminder for me; the very same one I had shared with my staff that very morning.

We never know how an unintentional moment can affect someone in a positive or negative way. We hope that it's a affirming experience we'll leave with others -- through an unexpected kind word, an insightful and timely remark, or a simple act of kindness. Unfortunately, it's just as easy to generate a negative impression through an omission, a sarcastic remark, or a distraction.

Our breath -- our very life force -- can radiate love or muddy the room in depression. Sometimes we get so caught up in our way of being that we forget that our very essence can control the earth's rotation.

I hope that these monthly missives have served a positive purpose in your life.  Perhaps a small thought triggered a solution to a problem, or the relation of a past experience stirred up some distant memory. To be honest, though, as much as I hope you enjoy them, I selfishly write them for me. My initial intent was to end these missives this month, as our anniversary year is coming to a close.  With your permission, I'd like to keep going.  I may not be disciplined enough next year to get them out monthly, but I'd like to be able to communicate with you when I have something to share.  As always, you can choose to opt out of these missives at any time.  But I hope some of you, at least, will indulge me going forward.