Every so often, I find myself wondering whether I am simply revisiting the same flourishing conversations humanity has been having for centuries or can something new be contributed to the journeys of so many over the centuries. As my mind tumbles around topics like wellness, character, vocation, flourishing, community engagement, intergenerational relationships, and rural health, …
Category: Defining Moments
Proximate But Alone
A generation ago, friendship happened naturally. Neighbors lingered on front porches, children played until the streetlights came on, and friendships were woven into the rhythms of everyday life. Today, many of us are more connected than ever, yet in this Paradoxical Life, feel more alone. Researchers have begun calling this phenomenon the Friendship Recession: a …
Friendship Recession
As I have mentioned before, for those of us serving in academia, the new year does not really begin in January. It begins in August, or, increasingly, sometime in July when campus parking lots begin filling up again. As I begin year three in Campbellsville, I find myself in a familiar season of reflection. Summer …
Warriors for Light
Having already written about the Reticular Activating System, or what I prefer to call the Divine Activating System, I will not revisit all of that content today. However, after a message from Eric Gilbert, a morning devotional, and even a set of song lyrics converged around a common theme, I found myself wondering whether there …
Powering Down
Although it is not my intention to be annoying, I recognize that some people may become frustrated by the delays they experience when communicating with me digitally. Perhaps there are times when I go too far in my attempts to tame the distractions of the digital world, yet I find myself continually searching for harmony: …
Big Forks, Little Forks
Take a moment and reflect: when you think back to your childhood, can you picture the dishes or flatware your family used every day? Until Hannah Brencher planted the seed of Big Forks, Little Forks in her book The Unplugged Hours, I'm not sure I could have described my parents' silverware pattern, despite nearly fifty …
Blue Zones
There are times that I wish that I didn’t find correlating messages so frequently, because it generally means there is more reading ahead. And as much as I love reading and learning, I had really expected an Expiration Date for this flourishing topic; instead, it keeps going and going like that one battery company’s mascot! …
Expiration Dates
When teaching about food safety in nutrition, it is not uncommon for me to educate students on the differences between “buy by,” “use by,” or Expiration Dates. Although I do not advise it, the reality is that sometimes I allow these to be mere suggestions, not necessarily a hard line. There are exceptions though, most …
For Good
On a drive through south-central Kentucky, it’s not uncommon to lose a radio signal while passing through a holler tucked between rocky cliffs. Yes, I still sometimes listen to that now-archaic format of music sent across the airwaves. And for younger generations, losing a radio signal often means losing a cellphone signal too. For that …
Cognitive Closure
When a season ends painfully or unexpectedly, the mind naturally searches for Cognitive Closure—a firm explanation that will quiet uncertainty and restore a sense of stability. Psychologically, this is understandable. When a story feels unresolved, we long for clarity, coherence, and a verdict about what happened and what it means. For faculty, whose vocation is …
