True Stories of Giving and Inspiration

Some of the posts on this blog belong to the category “true stories.” Click on the true stories link anywhere you see it for the list.

Here’s the back story. In 2017, I decided to write a book: “True Stories of Giving and Inspiration.”

It is easier for me to write one chapter at a time with an audience in mind. So I decided to serialize at least the first drafts of the stories here on Thirdways. Herein I’m following familiar footsteps of authors like Charles Dickens, who serialized all his novels. but reconceptualizing serialization in a non-fictional, blogged format.

Maybe True Stories will become a best seller, maybe it won’t make a penny, either way it will make me richer in life through the writing, relationships, inspiration, and giving opportunities it brings along the way. Already, I feel richer for having met the subjects of the first two stories!

Have you noticed that “giving” and “inspiration” are (along with “independent thinking”) core values for Thirdways? That’s no accident. Here’s hoping Thirdways will have many True Stories that become part of the book and much more besides!

 

Unpacking Our Principles

At Thirdways Communities our core principles are:

  • Openness: We allow anyone to comment or post anything in any way that is consistent with these principles!
  • Mutual respect: Unlike some social media, we’ll respect each other and expect respect in return. Debates, even arguments, are okay. But make about the issue and not the person. Don’t shoot the messenger!
  • Privacy is a choice: Are you a bit shy sometimes like me? That’s ok. We can post under our true names, or under pseudonyms. If someone posts under psedonym(s) and you know who they really are, support their choice by not outing their true name.

We may need more rules to live by someday, but these will do for now in the interest of keeping things simple.

What is Third Ways Communities About?

There is much acrimony, divisiveness, and close-mindedness in our country and on the Internet.

Many people seem locked into absolutist positions and a zero sum dialogue. Could it be there are Third Ways out?

Rather than focusing on problems, we seek to find solutions. To share what knowledge and wisdom we have and discover new ideas from each other. We won’t always understand one another, we need not always agree, but we should keep talking.

Our Values:

  • Independent thinking: Cultivate curiosity, out of the box ideas. Always learning!
  • Inspiration: What can move us forward, or bring us together?
  • Giving: How can we help?