During one particularly lonely and tear-filled night, my comfort came from an unexpected phrase which kept popping up in my mind. “Everybody suffers.” You might be wondering how that is at all comforting. But, to me, it means that life is full of suffering and struggle this side of Heaven. Everyone suffers. Single or married.…
The Benefits of Marriage
I’ve determined that my grass is thoroughly green. Others help remind me of the joys in my life and some things I take for granted. Sometimes we get so focused on what we don’t have we miss what we do. We need reminders. My friends take the opportunity to remind me of the benefits of…
The Benefits of Singleness
At times, I am lonely. I see sweet, everyday interactions between spouses and I long to experience such tenderness myself. Sometimes, my longing feels overwhelming. But most of the time I think my life is pretty awesome. I have a few dear friends who help remind me of the benefits of singleness and childlessness during those…
You Go
I debated for a while after I heard. The time. The gas money. The weeknight commitment. I vacillated. My favorite band of all time, Cool Hand Luke, was playing a small show in Tampa last week. I’ve talked about the importance of this band before. I was sharing my internal debate with a friend when…
Words are Powerful
I think on paper. That’s not just a website; it’s a statement. Writing is how I process life the best. Sometimes that makes me feel like an alien creature, exploring a new planet with my ever-present Moleskine. I don’t know what I really think about something until I write it down. But recently, I found…
Do You Dread Weddings?
It’s a Saturday. People everywhere are being joined in holy matrimony. Pinterest boards aside, do you dread weddings? Do they tend to remind you more of what you lack than you are able to celebrate with the new couple? I fall into this category. A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a…
Action and Non-Action
Because time is a finite resource, every action involves an infinite amount of non-actions. Every choice I make. What book to read, what movie to watch, what food to eat, what topic to write about, necessarily involves not reading other books, watching other movies, eating other foods or writing about other topics concurrently. I can only…
How To Talk About Books You Haven’t Read
Every action involves an infinite amount of non-actions. That’s deep. I learned that while reading, somewhat distractedly on a plane and had to turn back and re-read it. A professor wrote a delightful book entitled How to Talk About Books You Haven’t Read. In it he began by bemoaning his lot in life as…
Ceasing, to Worship
I am a grammarphile. I enjoy the undervalued punctuation marks. I revel in a properly placed em dash. I snicker at how commas can change meanings entirely . There is also a purposefully placed comma in my title. I am not ceasing to worship. I am ceasing, in order to worship. My life is full of activity,…
Feeling Celebrated
Nearly the only negative part of my cruise experience was the 30 hour trek back home. 5 cities, 4 states, three layovers, 2 minute naps and a partridge in a pear tree. That’s what it took me to get home. But, bleary-eyed and not sure what time zone I lived in, I walked into this:…