How an old teddy bear became a new friend to Shepherd kids

How an old teddy bear became a new friend to Shepherd kids

One fact of life is that children get older and quickly outgrow shoes and shirts. And even beloved toys. One Indianapolis-area mom faced that reality recently in her daughter’s bedroom: The giant teddy bear who had watched over her daughter for years as she played and slept and dreamed about her future had been supplanted by new friends and new...

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Podcasts

Columns by Jay

Youth violence in Indianapolis defies easy answers. But I know how you can help.

I recently was sent a disturbing video of a teenager being knocked to the ground by another teen on a Saturday night in downtown Indianapolis. Several teens then surrounded the child – and yes, most teens are still children developmentally and legally – and repeatedly kicked and punched him as he wrapped his arms around his head for protection. Others in the crowd pulled out their phones to record this scene of casual violence in the heart of our city. And yet this brutal assault wasn’t close...

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‘Friendship recession’ is ravaging our mental and physical health. Here’s how we fight against it together.

It’s been called the friendship recession. And it’s having devastating consequences on our emotional, mental and physical health. Recent surveys indicate that Americans have significantly fewer close friends on average and are much more likely to say they have no close friends than in previous decades. The friendship recession is so severe that U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has declared that the surge in Americans’ loneliness and isolation is a public health crisis. In May, Murthy...

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Why loving your neighbors is the secret to a happy and healthy life

In 1938, researchers at Harvard University asked a vital question that remains highly relevant 85 years later: What are the factors that determine if a person leads a healthy and happy life? To find answers, the researchers began a long-term study involving 268 Harvard sophomores, whose ranks included a future president, John F. Kennedy. Eventually, the participants’ spouses and children were added to the study, which continues to this day. What did the scientists determine, after eight...

read more

Podcasts

Columns by Jay

Youth violence in Indianapolis defies easy answers. But I know how you can help.

I recently was sent a disturbing video of a teenager being knocked to the ground by another teen on a Saturday night in downtown Indianapolis. Several teens then surrounded the child – and yes, most teens are still children developmentally and legally – and repeatedly kicked and punched him as he wrapped his arms around his head for protection. Others in the crowd pulled out their phones to record this scene of casual violence in the heart of our city. And yet this brutal assault wasn’t close...

read more

‘Friendship recession’ is ravaging our mental and physical health. Here’s how we fight against it together.

It’s been called the friendship recession. And it’s having devastating consequences on our emotional, mental and physical health. Recent surveys indicate that Americans have significantly fewer close friends on average and are much more likely to say they have no close friends than in previous decades. The friendship recession is so severe that U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has declared that the surge in Americans’ loneliness and isolation is a public health crisis. In May, Murthy...

read more

Why loving your neighbors is the secret to a happy and healthy life

In 1938, researchers at Harvard University asked a vital question that remains highly relevant 85 years later: What are the factors that determine if a person leads a healthy and happy life? To find answers, the researchers began a long-term study involving 268 Harvard sophomores, whose ranks included a future president, John F. Kennedy. Eventually, the participants’ spouses and children were added to the study, which continues to this day. What did the scientists determine, after eight...

read more