At the root of the American story—beneath the slogans and the fractures, behind the endless parade of red, white, and blue—is something quieter and more enduring: compassion. Not the sentimental kind, but the gritty, active kind. Compassion that shows up, gets its hands dirty, and walks with its neighbor. I have seen it in VA…
Read moreIn Colombia, Holidays Still Mean Something
In Colombia, when there’s a holiday, life actually stops. Not just for government workers or people with paid leave—everyone stops. Offices go dark. Banks shut down. Schools go quiet. You won’t hear kids on the playground, and you won’t hear traffic. The country knows how to hit pause, not just individually, but collectively. And that’s…
Read moreSomewhere Between the Trees and the Tarmac, Tracks, and Tanks
My parents split when I was young. I could not explain what had changed, but I could feel it. After the divorce, I stayed with my father in Neoga, Illinois, in the cornfields forever. He remarried, but lived with my aunt for a while, and I spent most days with my grandfather fishing. I remember…
Read moreThe Stories We Carry: Are We Living Life, or Is Life Living Us?
Each of us walks through life with a narrative etched into our being—a collection of moments, memories, and meanings woven together to create a sense of identity. From the earliest days, we are handed scripts: told who we are, what we’re meant to achieve, and where our limitations lie. These imprints, handed down by family,…
Read moreIndigenous Populations Worldwide: Why European Descent Isn’t Considered Indigenous
Let’s put something to bed: no, most “white people,”* you are not indigenous. The term “indigenous” in modern usage refers to groups that are the original inhabitants of a region and have experienced historical marginalization, displacement, or oppression, often due to colonization by external powers. These populations possess distinct cultural, linguistic, and social traditions that…
Read moreLiving at Work: Awakening from the Self-Imposed Dream of Endless Hustle
It’s strange how often our lives seem like a dream—or a nightmare—that we’re somehow wide awake in but powerless to change. I keep having this reoccurring dream, and it’s like some deep part of me is throwing up a flare, saying, “Wake up; there’s more to see.” The dream always starts the same. I pull…
Read moreFinding Resilience on the Road: The Enduring Spirit of ‘Touch of Grey
“Touch of Grey” by the Grateful Dead carries a profound resonance with those who have endured hardship yet find resilience in moving forward. It is a theme that echoes powerfully in This Is How It Feels to Heal, where survival becomes both a choice and a practice. As someone who once lived much of a…
Read moreShadowboxing the Apocalypse, and Wandering the Land
In the cool haze of morning light, I’m walking. Not to anywhere particular, just walking. Shoes hitting the dirt like a steady rhythm, beating out the thoughts rattling through my brain. There’s something about this world, this time, that feels so caught up in its own demise. Like it’s rushing toward some inevitable end, but…
Read moreAn old current conversation
With the completion of The Healing Pathways facilitator and companion manuals, I am cleaning out my notes used along the way. Below, is a transcript of a conversation I had with David Boothe in 2001. I was in Cali, Colombia where I had just finished the final version of This is How it Feels to…
Read moreThe Unique Musical Legacy of Jerry Garcia: An Exploration of Style and Influence
Jerry Garcia, renowned as the frontman and lead guitarist for the Grateful Dead, remains a towering figure in American music. Despite his profound impact, discussions about the greatest guitarists in rock history often overlook Garcia. This oversight can be attributed to his unique approach to music, the niche the Grateful Dead carved within the music…
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