A few weeks ago my wife and I were garage saling with our three young daughters. We stopped at a sale near the close of the day. The hosts were visibly exhausted. They had gobs of things left and were vowing to never host a sale again. Desperate to rid themselves of extraneous items, they offered to give us a toy horse. They made the offer, of course, within earshot of our girls who promptly began to beg.

The toy horse was covered with ink markings—tattoos if you will—placed there by an unsupervised, creative child. The hooves were tattered and in process of defecting from the shanks. Our kids were unfazed. A free horse, they thought. What could be better?

Five minutes later the stuffed beast was the sixth passenger in our minivan. Our kids named the horse Shortbread. They converted the playhouse to a stable and harvested grass from the yard for hay. In the days that followed they fed Shortbread oats for breakfast and read him stories before bed.

It struck me how something so simple (and free) can enflame a child’s curiosity and imagination, which are central to learning and growth. The same is true for everyone—from infants to adolescents to mature adults. We flourish in a life space that offers ample room for creative exploration.

Peak under a board that’s been sitting on top of grass for a long time. The grass is discolored, withered, impacted. It’s not healthy. Remove the board and in time the grass will regain its rich color and grow tall (and children just might harvest it to feed to their stuffed horse). In the same way our lives, and the lives of those in whom we are invested, hold more promise of thriving outside the weight of extraneous objects, activities and words that can suffocate our natural, childlike impulse to improvise, imagine and create.

I chose to call my organization People Change People because I want to furnish a reminder, to myself and everyone who wishes to make a positive difference in the lives of others, that we are the most powerful agents of change—for better or worse—in the lives of those around us. How I relate to others and the choices I make have been most influenced by the people in my life who have cared about me. I would like to do the same for others.

There is a tendency within all of us to substitute people for something else. In the education field “curricula change people.” In prevention fields “good information changes people.” In counseling “techniques change people.”

There is no substitute for people. In your efforts to bring health and well-being to the lives of others the element with the greatest brawn is you. Curricula can be helpful. Certain techniques can enhance your efforts. But there is no substitute for you. Thus, when we consider how we might bear upon the life of another in the wisest, most valuable and long-lasting way, we must recall this axiom, People Change People.

In my web presence I strive to draw attention to this reality. I want to welcome you to explore all of the resources here. My goal is to furnish thoughtful, insightful content you can practice. Please feel free to contact me with your feedback, questions, and ideas.

I’m thrilled to begin this journey. Thanks for joining in.