Alpha Bah's common sense tips

As I was driving my son to his Model United Nations conference where they are debating peace and security around the world, we had a good conversation on what it will take to bring a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He came up with a brilliant idea. He said, “why not separate Jerusalem from Israel and Palestine?”. I asked why, and his response was that everyone claims to own it – Christians, Jews, and Muslims. So, let it be free for everyone. This got me thinking as we continue discussing the various other options on the table and why they’re failing or will fail.
Option “fight to the finish”: Maintain the status and fight to find a winner, hoping that one of them will either be defeated or give up the fight.
We’ve seen that this approach is taking us nowhere. They have been at each other for decades and all we see if more destruction of lives and property, more hatred and bloodshed, people on the sidelines taking sides due to the religious dimension it has taken, a…

The new US President is creating anxiety across the world with his unconventional approach and determination to make "America Great Again" and put “America first” by any means necessary. While one can acknowledge that America is already great and already at “first” position, it is important to note that the new US President and his supporters do not feel that America is paying enough attention to itself. Being “first” can mean different things to different people. From an extroverted perspective, being “first” means using your power and influence to take care of other less powerful and less resourced nations, and they in turn look up to you for support in time of need. From an introverted perspective, being “first” means competing with the rest by taking care of my own business and focusing on my own priorities to be the number one. Others should go sort things out for themselves.
Over the decades, the world has grown accustomed to the extroverted America. The one that has b…

Today, with a heavy heart, I learned of the passing of another colleague and friend. In the past year alone, too many people that you may know - colleagues, friends, family, loved ones – have gone too soon. You hear cases of relatively young people suffering from sudden heart attacks with no earlier signs of illness. You hear of people retiring after several years of service to their communities and suddenly meeting their end without fully enjoying the fruits of their labor. This is not only shocking but it is cause for concern.
We live in a world where there is constant pressure to make meaningful contributions to society while achieving more and creating better lives for ourselves, our families and loved ones. The expectations are high and the demands are huge. In this world of wanting the best for ourselves and our loved ones – for today and the future – life becomes full of stress. The desperation to achieve more and the pressure from family, friends and society makes it difficult…