Joel Kwesi Baidoo

I have a friend, who was my classmate in Senior High School. This friend of mine, whenever he meets any of his friends, will often lift up his right index finger and jokingly say, “Hang on to hope.” Though he made this statement very often, and in a quite humorous way, I realized one day that those words meant a lot. If you feel shattered, after the demise of a loved one; or, if your heart bleeds, following the loss of something precious to you; or, if all appears gloomy and bleak, and you feel like giving up; please pause for a moment and know that there is hope. Hope means this is not the end. Hope will give an appendix to the story when you think your life’s chapter is closed. Hope is as resilient and long-lasting as love and faith. It outlasts every grief, therefore hang on to it. Hang on to hope. Do not declare your defeat too soon. Your experience is for a purpose, and your endurance will instruct and offer courage to the fainthearted. I don’t know you person...

Conflict Resolution in Relationships  Why must we learn conflict resolution skills? It’s because conflicts shall definitely arise at one point in time or another and in one form or another in any relationship or fellowship. Relationships form the foundation of communities. Every healthy plant has not only been well watered but also well pruned. A healthy relationship is likewise not only watered with blissful moments but also pruned with melancholic episodes. If conflicts never arise, relationships will not grow. Remember what Walter Lippmann said, “Where all think alike, no one thinks very much.” On the other hand, if conflicts are rampant, it is a sign of an unhealthy relationship. After successfully resolving a conflict, the relationship moves from one level of intimacy to a higher level of intimacy.   Conflicts must be handled with skill and not emotions. In resolving disagreements, the later you vent your emotions the better. Bear in mind that the person ...