Walking alone through a silent, frozen forest only to emerge at the precipice of a frigid gorge with cascading waterfalls and biting winds is all at once unsettling and entrancing to my mind. I arrived to the trailhead of Linville Falls and Gorge just at sunrise. The uncleared snowy field that was the parking lot... Continue Reading →
The Top of the Mountain, The Edge of the Sea, The Beauty Is Out There, For It Pours Out of Me
By humanity’s collective upward gaze, the top of a distant mountain takes on a mythical aura that is difficult to fathom. When we peer at a mountain’s peak from below, it breathes with the rule of an eternal force, unencumbered by the rhythm and flow of mortals. Its ascended stature emanates a holy presence and... Continue Reading →
It Did Not Go As Planned, and That’s Okay
Unrealistic expectations can be the death of joy as I have come to realize in my time off this summer. Plans will very often not go as expected, and that’s okay. That’s what makes life interesting and dynamic right? I thought that my time off between jobs would be filled with productive bliss as I... Continue Reading →
I Quit My Job For the Sake of My Mental Health
Well, I quit my job with no other job in line. I gave my notice about a month ago and I am officially unemployed. Quitting my job with no backup plan is a frightening feeling. It feels like the sturdy ground that I have always known is loosening and breaking beneath my feet and I... Continue Reading →
What’s In A Photo? Considering Memories and Nostalgia.
Isn’t it curious how we can look back at old photos through the lens of the present and form a completely new world in our minds from the aesthetics of the past? I was thinking about this the other day. I was sitting in my truck outside of the gym randomly sifting through my old... Continue Reading →
I Am Worthy
Today I endured the pain. Today I persevered through the agony. Today I pushed through the inner dialogue, the doubt and the ridicule. All screaming in my mind. I made it through. For the several hundredth time. I feel ashamed for being ashamed. I feel ashamed for not believing in myself when I prove I... Continue Reading →
Choosing to Tell A Better Story About My Life and Circumstances
Spring is finally in the air and there is a sense of a new beginning echoing through the blooms and the colors as I gaze out upon the emerging life of flowers and insects. Nature is waking up again. I feel like there is a fresh start, indeed a revival, upon us singing fruitfully in... Continue Reading →
Feeling Uncomfortably Comfortable: A Reflection on The Comfort Zone
Six months ago, my anxiety was through the roof and I desperately sought therapy for help. It was the first time I tried face to face therapy and it was a plunge out of my comfort zone. Fast forward to this past month and I told my therapist that I think I am no longer... Continue Reading →
Finding Love Once Again
I have found love once again. It’s so strange how prophetic everything seems. It feels like my life has been leading up to this moment. Life has been teaching me to be strong, resilient, independent, and above all, to fully love and accept myself without pause or respite. It would seem a byproduct of this... Continue Reading →
The Infamous and Wondrous Seattle to Chattanooga Solo Road Trip: Part One [photos]
On a cool, crisp spring morning in early April, it was time to set out on another epic adventure. I packed up my truck with all of my essentials and eagerly set out from Seattle on an epic five-day journey back home to Chattanooga. This journey would prove to be a test of patience and... Continue Reading →