Conflict is tricky.  In the last week I've seen conflict lead to the end of a long friendship, but I've also seen it bring waves of change. 

We are going to call the cake pictured above a peace offering from one of my students after a hard conversation. 

Her gift reminded me of home.  I told my student that you can have something elaborate with layers and buttercream frosting, but sometimes its the box cake with the familiar frosting from the can that tastes better.  I told her I feel especially loved when people make food for me because of the time it took, and the thought that went into it.  We laughed about the simple things that make us feel loved and make us feel at home even when we are far away.

We are going to call that simple interaction a step toward restoration. 

In the end, we didnt' agree, and we won't, but we found common ground.  We found the grace to exist in the space between our conflicting principles through laughter and the reality of our own humanity. 

Through cake, we found a way to move on.