I still love the simple mantra: Read. Think. Pray. Live. The words are easy. The practice takes, well, practice…The reading is broad - from socials to books to trying to remain teachable and open to ideas. The thinking part can take my mind to all sorts of places including those of identity - good and not so good dependent upon the things of the day. The praying? Often that’s out on dog walks or in nature or in the comings and goings of everyday life. Living is more than a showreel. There are highs (Sphere and all we experienced there), there are lows - but, mostly, I think there are in betweens. I still believe that we are meant to live. I just wonder sometimes if the something more that we are meant to live for needs re-examined periodically? Sometimes we get hung up on things that were just for a season. We lament endings or past chapters. Surrender is a word I keep coming back to. It was spoken over me when I asked for a blessing from an elder - as you know. I think it might be a lifetime’s work - a lifetime believing that we are meant to show up and to live, come what may. B x
I agree with so much of this so greatly also, Brian. Thank you for sharing this. I just started reading “Surrender” by Bono, the spine continually staring at me from my bookshelf. And I’m now saddened for not having picked it up sooner.
I saw Switchfoot for the first time live just about a month ago at The Blue Note in Columbia, Missouri. I’ve listened to, and been a fan of the band since The Beautiful Letdown was released. Around junior high for me. I hold different meaning for the songs now as an adult, but that album was the beginning of me figuring out what my music taste was, and claiming my own likes in the world. I hadn’t been to a show like that in a very long time. My friend and I did VIP, and I have no regrets. It was the first time I’ve felt free and alive in a long time. It truly was a spiritual experience. Not having a personal relationship with Jon, but having read about your writings about him, or posts on social, he is absolutely as you said in this post.” Love personified.” It was an incredible night that I will never forget.
I’ve been wrestling a lot of these same things. I’ve been off of reading Substack for awhile, for no reason in particular apart from healing from a very hard year in 2022/2023. I feel like I’m finally becoming myself again, and I feel like I’m finally in a season of renewal and new growth. Seeing that we were meant to live for more. Keep fighting. Keep sharing. Just because we as humans fuck up doesn’t make us as individuals fuck-ups. It just means we’re human and because of that, we aren’t perfect.
I still love the simple mantra: Read. Think. Pray. Live. The words are easy. The practice takes, well, practice…The reading is broad - from socials to books to trying to remain teachable and open to ideas. The thinking part can take my mind to all sorts of places including those of identity - good and not so good dependent upon the things of the day. The praying? Often that’s out on dog walks or in nature or in the comings and goings of everyday life. Living is more than a showreel. There are highs (Sphere and all we experienced there), there are lows - but, mostly, I think there are in betweens. I still believe that we are meant to live. I just wonder sometimes if the something more that we are meant to live for needs re-examined periodically? Sometimes we get hung up on things that were just for a season. We lament endings or past chapters. Surrender is a word I keep coming back to. It was spoken over me when I asked for a blessing from an elder - as you know. I think it might be a lifetime’s work - a lifetime believing that we are meant to show up and to live, come what may. B x
I agree with so much of this so greatly also, Brian. Thank you for sharing this. I just started reading “Surrender” by Bono, the spine continually staring at me from my bookshelf. And I’m now saddened for not having picked it up sooner.
Man! This is one of your most authentic and honest posts and I love it. Thanks for being vulnerable and sharing your heart.
I saw Switchfoot for the first time live just about a month ago at The Blue Note in Columbia, Missouri. I’ve listened to, and been a fan of the band since The Beautiful Letdown was released. Around junior high for me. I hold different meaning for the songs now as an adult, but that album was the beginning of me figuring out what my music taste was, and claiming my own likes in the world. I hadn’t been to a show like that in a very long time. My friend and I did VIP, and I have no regrets. It was the first time I’ve felt free and alive in a long time. It truly was a spiritual experience. Not having a personal relationship with Jon, but having read about your writings about him, or posts on social, he is absolutely as you said in this post.” Love personified.” It was an incredible night that I will never forget.
I’ve been wrestling a lot of these same things. I’ve been off of reading Substack for awhile, for no reason in particular apart from healing from a very hard year in 2022/2023. I feel like I’m finally becoming myself again, and I feel like I’m finally in a season of renewal and new growth. Seeing that we were meant to live for more. Keep fighting. Keep sharing. Just because we as humans fuck up doesn’t make us as individuals fuck-ups. It just means we’re human and because of that, we aren’t perfect.