Today, Chris, Mel and I attended the Ottawa Kennel Club's Dog Show in Richmond. This is our second year attending this free event. It's a wonderful opportunity to see many breeds of dogs—looking their best—and to interact with owners who love to talk about their pets.

Dogs make for the easiest conversation starter. "So what dog breed is this?" is all one needs to say to launch a conversation. Today, Mel and I learned about the Glen of Imaal Terrier. It is named for the Glen of Imaal, a region in the county of Wicklow in Ireland. The pamphlet we picked up describes the breed as a "sturdy dog with strong working instincts" with "a rough-and-ready appearance that belies his calm disposition." The couple who shared their Glen of Imaal Terrier Clancy was absolutely lovely, willingly spending so much time with us. We discovered not only a shared love of dogs but a shared enthusiasm for genealogy. I learned a lot from the conversation.

The Ottawa Kennel Club's Dog Show continues on May 26 (tomorrow). You can find it at the Richmond Agricultural Grounds at 6107 Perth Street in Richmond.

"If you want love, be love; invite it in by offering it to others. If you seek joy, be joy; act in a way that is joyful, and allow others to experience it alongside you. Be what you hope for; allow whatever is on the inside to be how you love on the outside."

[Ryan] Holiday writes that the drive to spend "quality time" with loved ones often leads to disappointment. "The perfectionist side of our brain, fueled by movies and Instagram, wants everything to be special, to be 'right.' But that’s an ideal that the busy, ordinary, doing-the-best-we-can versions of ourselves can’t always live up to," he insists. Feeling guilty, we try to plan elaborate vacations and events. But in our efforts to create quality time, we can miss the special moments that emerge naturally.

Perhaps most importantly, my time in university taught me how to write a story. And by story, I mean simply words that convey something about a person's life. I grasped the power of stories. For writers, stories can expose them and make them vulnerable, but also enable them to connect in profound ways with others. For readers, stories can inform them, touch them, and change not just how they see the writer but also how they see themselves. The journalism program also gave me the courage to write, which is often the most difficult obstacle to overcome when preparing to write.

Like Dudley, I believe that leadership is exercised in countless small ways. It's inviting a young person to take a place at the table. It's showing confidence in someone's ability to make the right decision. It's providing feedback on an employee's work and how it was received by senior managers. It's seeking input from all team members. It's smiling at an employee and listening intently while they present to a group of executives. It's learning, correctly pronouncing and regularly using others' names. It's taking time to say hello and to acknowledge staff. It's passing along compliments but also asking for permission to provide constructive feedback. It's taking junior employees along to meetings with senior colleagues.

Time permitting, comment don't rewrite. If a piece of writing isn't ready for editing and needs a rewrite instead, provide overall comments and send it back to the author to rework. Avoid the temptation to rewrite the piece when, with a little guidance, the author could produce a much better second draft. This is a better outcome for everyone. The author gets a second chance to work on their piece, and you don't have to rewrite the document.

In The Key to Giving and Receiving Negative Feedback, author, speaker and social scientist Joseph Grenny says: "You can say almost anything to someone if they feel safe." However, "If they feel unsafe, even the tiniest hint of disapproval can be crushing."

Be grateful for the strength you have. Don't take for granted the energy you have to do the things you want to do. If you can start a job and finish it, appreciate that. It means you have the mental and physical strength to set a goal and reach it.

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of 'disaster,' I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers—so many caring people in this world."

"A 'flâneur' is someone who just takes the street for a walk, not to burn calories, to walk their dog, and to reach a daily number of steps. A flâneur is not a tourist either. This French term is also part of French culture, probably Parisian culture, where people would walk in the streets and stop to have a drink, chat with store keepers, or run into friends."

"Create safe spaces for yourself. Wrap yourself in goodness and warmth and love. Stay surrounded by people who are genuine—think twice if you can't trust them with your heart. You are allowed to protect your peace. Be mindful and aware of all energy that you allow into your life."

— Alex Elle

In the CBC interview, Michael J. Fox tells interviewer Harry Forestell, who is also living with Parkinson's, that his doctor had said to him: "You don't win this, you lose." Fox decided that if he was going to cope with the disease, he was going to learn how to lose well.