How to Navigate Life

When was the last time you drove home in silence? No music, no conversation, only the incessant hum of the wheels on the pavement. It’s uncomfortable, it’s scary, not because of the absence of noise but rather the inevitable presence of it--the overwhelming uproar of our thoughts.  Embracing silence requires us to attend to our mental chatter and probe into it. The bad, the good, and the ug...

Stargazing is for the astrophysicists, the cosmologists, the astronomers, right? Only scientists qualified to explore the magnitude of the cosmos have the right to speak on the tiny bright lights suspended in the night sky? Surely they have the time. We’re far too busy to acquaint ourselves with the celestial, with the otherworldly, with the mysterious bodies in the galaxy. No. Of course not....

In the wise words of the best teacher in the world—otherwise known as Mr. Keating of Dead Poets Society—“Seize the day boys… seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary.” We tend to throw around this phrase in the context of making impulsive, uninhibited decisions in the spirit of living in the present. It inspires us to cherish every moment and take life minute by minute, surrenderin...

Traveler, listen closely to the weary cry of the grandfather trees, as the wind carries their groaning alongside wandering, dying leaves;   An outdrawn, longing sigh loud enough to rouse a deaf world from her deep and restless slumber, from empty dreams and nothing more.   A sharp, piercing sting claws the edge of your bare skin, the hunger pangs of a lonely wo...

The concept of magic has captivated the human race from the beginning, has it not? Our stories, ethereal and mystical, are riddled with spellbooks and mythical creatures. Why, though, are we continually drawn to magical themes? To the defiance of the laws of the universe? To storylines that seem far too good and redemptive to be true? I would argue that this desire stems from our very core as human...

This age-old question is often posed to argue against the existence of God. What I have learned, however, is that suffering more plausibly points to the very necessity of His existence. Yes, I have only lived a mere sixteen years on this earth, but that does not invalidate my personal struggles, nor does it suggest that I make this claim based only on my limited perspective. Through studying scripture, tal...

Standing up for your beliefs may be one of the most difficult things you have to defend. Having to confidently prove to someone that strongly disagrees with you that Christianity is real when we ourselves blindly believe in a God we’ve never met seems like an impossible task. However, regardless of the extent of the ridicule we may face from others, our “faith in what we cannot see” gives us ...

“How are you?” I bet you can predict the answer. That’s right. “I’m good! How are you?” More often than not, that answer is a lie. A compulsive lie. But it’s fine because we’re just following the script, right? People expect a socially acceptable response. And who are they to understand, anyway? No, I’m not condemning a friendly, “I’m good!” for anything besides...

Last month, I sprained my ankle during lacrosse practice. The first week of the season. And due to the combination of the nature of a sprain and my unwise attempt to quickly return to regular activity, the healing process has been quite slow. I’ve had to stand and watch every single game and practice, watch as my team runs and sprints and passes the ball and scores, unable to play the sport that I...