Perspectives

As I prepare for Florida and Iceland, anxiety insists on coming along. So I pack it first, zip it into its own neatly compressed cube, and make room for excitement, homesickness, family, wonder, and everything else the journey may hold.

As September arrives and the days begin to shorten, the world gradually turns inward. For some of us, crisp air, early darkness, glowing windows, and the return of sweater weather bring not sadness, but an invigorating sense of warmth, refuge, and home.

Old Man's Cave, Middle Earth, and the pleasures of losing your way The first time I visited Hocking Hills was about fifteen years ago with some friends. Somehow, we ended up on one of the more challenging trails. At least, I assume it was a trail. We climbed over enormous boulders and jumped down the other side to continue following what appeared to be a trail. We walked for hours, farther and farther into the forest, until we found a stone staircase that took us even lower i

A reflection on what the Bhagavad Gita offers when life feels chaotic, the chariot wheels have fallen off, and control is no longer among the available options.

The road bends, and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains come into view, rising above the high desert. The air smells faintly of piñon and juniper. Ravens drift across the enormous blue sky. And then there is the light—that unmistakable New Mexico light that somehow makes every color richer and every shadow more alive. Every time I return to northern New Mexico, I have the same thought: I'm home. It has never made logical sense to me. I didn't grow up there. I've never lived there.

Anxiety often arrives as if it has taken over the whole room. One minute you may be going through your day, answering emails, driving to an appointment, making dinner, or trying to fall asleep. The next minute your body is tense, your chest feels tight, your thoughts are racing, and everything feels urgent. Even when part of you knows, “I am not actually in danger right now,” your nervous system may be sending a very different message. This is one of the hardest parts of an