Oct 18, 2022Member-onlySeeing Magic in the MundaneMundane- characterized by the practical, transitory, and ordinary. Commonplace. Day-to-day. Most people view their lives as a collection of insignificant and routine tasks void of meaning or excitement. Their days are spent wishing for something “amazing” in the future: I can’t wait for the weekend, then I can let loose. …Awareness2 min readAwareness2 min read
Oct 13, 2022Member-onlyMost People Hoard Possessions, but It’s Moments That Generate Monumental WealthMy 3-year old gives a deep smile as he wriggles around on the sheets and hugs his blanket and stuffed animals (Tigery, Dolphiny, Popcorn, and Daniel Tiger.) This is a monumental moment. A catastrophic shift in our parenting paradigm. …Spiritual Awareness5 min readSpiritual Awareness5 min read
Feb 12, 2022Are Your Control Issues Costing You Your Sanity?I’m walking out of Safeway after a long day at work and feel a strange sensation on the bottom of my shoe, like I’ve stepped in something sticky and at the same time something cold squeezes between my toes. I wasn’t prepared for what I was about to see. Lifting…Control6 min readControl6 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·May 19, 2021Member-onlyThe Boy Who Cried CoyoteThe backyard is a fantasy land. Star Wars battles and unicorn rides happen every day. This is the space where imaginations rule and reign. So, when my son insisted on coming inside at sunset because he heard coyotes, I assumed it was a fantasy. “There is nothing to be afraid…Courage5 min readCourage5 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Mar 9, 2021Member-onlyWhat If The Pandemic Makes Us Stronger?You never know someone’s story just by looking at them. I was waiting outside a tire shop. My car had a flat, but I was sure they would try to convince me I needed four completely new tires and a rotation and a new axle, and a flux capacitor. That’s…Post Traumatic Growth6 min readPost Traumatic Growth6 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Feb 27, 2021Member-onlyI Learned About Awareness When An Old Man Nearly Hit Me With His CarI was walking out of the CVS parking lot, carrying my meds and a 5-foot long receipt that refused to fit in my pocket. An old Volkswagen began backing up towards me. I stopped, but it did not. The driver didn’t see me or my long receipt, so I yelled…Awareness5 min readAwareness5 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Feb 25, 2021Member-onlyDreams and Goals Are OverratedFocus on Process Instead — I grew up in a town that loved basketball. My friends idolized and adored NBA players and dreamed of becoming great like them. We all desired this. But we did nothing about it other than playing basketball at recess or joining the school team. Except for one kid. This guy…Goals4 min readGoals4 min read
Jan 22, 2021Member-onlyStop Telling Yourself A Garbage StoryWhen I was a kid, I was shy. At least, that’s the story I believed. I didn’t always know what to say to adults, so I would hear them say, “oh, he’s really shy.” And I bought it. I was the shy kid, doing what shy kids do. I avoided…Journey7 min readJourney7 min read
Dec 22, 2020Member-onlyHow We Engage With Stories and Movies Has The Power To Change Our Lives. (The Power of Stories: Part 1)My mouth was tight and shaking as I wiped the streaming tears from my eyes, a little embarrassed even though I was alone in the room. I’m a 37-year-old man, crying because of an alien sci-fi movie. Nay, I wasn’t crying. I was a wreck. I rushed to my kids’…Spiritual Formation4 min readSpiritual Formation4 min read
Published in Ascent Publication·May 12, 2020Member-only5 Ways Jazz Can Teach You To Get Your Groove BackWhat day is it? This has become the question during life in lockdown. It’s a joke birthed in real feelings: Monotony. Everything feels the same. Nothing distinguishes one day from another. We just wake up and hit replay. Lack of drive. There is no inspiration to achieve goals or create…Life Lessons7 min readLife Lessons7 min read