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Now More Than Ever, We Need the Wisdom of Sports
Sports have mostly returned after being shut down due to COVID-19. From international and national football (soccer) to MLB, NBA, and golf, games have at least returned to TV for our pleasure. Although much is different due to all of the necessary health protocols, the essence of sports, competition, and what it means to be a part of a team, fans are back. We should revisit some of those truths in light of our current culture. Detachment I love sports, from competing to watching them as a fan to now being the father of children participating in sports. Sports can teach lessons to all of us, no matter our relationship…
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Happy New Year…Cheers to Cranberry Juice and Coffee
Happy New Year to you and your loved ones. There is something natural about the desire to start anew. To start fresh. To begin something with a clean slate. A new calendar year gives us an invitation to do so. We may have been resisting change, we may want to try something new, or the new year may finally give us the courage to take action on something we have ignored. There is a lot of grace in any of those things, and I hope you dare to make this new year what you want it to be. For me, this new year is all about peace. The…
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Yes, I Am In Your Business
Since moving back to the States, chances are that if I were in the next aisle from you in Target, I would have heard everything you were saying to your friend on the phone. I listened to what type of cheese you ordered standing in the deli line at the grocery store (and how many people were coming to your house for the dinner party). I heard every single conversation that 20 different parents were having simultaneously at the bus stop! Even sitting at a local café, I am completely distracted by the dialogue between the two workers behind the counter and between the couple in the corner discussing their…
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Cold as Stone (3 Years Later)
Three years ago, our lives changed. We blindly boarded a plane with a few suitcases and a one-way ticket to live on the other side of the world. It’s hard to fathom that we have now called Switzerland our home for this long. There are days when it seems surreal, and there are days when it is very real. There are days when we feel grateful, and there are days when we feel the grind and we complain (A lot). This past Sunday, the exact date we left 3 years prior, I sat and tried to come up with something to think about, write about, or at the very least…
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The Swiss Alps from Another Time
Every year during the last week of January, the Swiss village of Kandersteg transforms into a period around the turn of the century, 1884-1914. This week is known as the “Belle Epoque.” I have always secretly wanted to live during this time. The fashion, decorum, culture, and etiquette all come alive in the beautiful scenery of the Swiss Alps.
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The Story of Paris
There is something about the telling of a story that captures our imagination. It could be the anticipation of discovering the plot and then feeling the excitement of watching it unfold. Or maybe the landscapes, culture, and time frame in which the story takes place allow us to enter these places just for a moment. Yet, above all else, it seems the characters themselves arrest us the most. Their personalities. Their virtues. Their vices. Their achievements and their failures. We love the characters because, deep down, we know that we are taking part in our own stories. Therefore, we imagine ourselves within their roles because maybe we need to escape,…
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To Change or Not To Change
There was a moment when it hit me. Deep down, I knew it would never be the same again. Although things looked identical, my relationship with them had somehow changed. My friends were still there, yet my connection to them differed in ways I could not explain. I was an 18-year-old young man and home for the first time after leaving high school, and I was confronted with the reality that I had changed. And this scared me. On the one hand, this community has brought me comfort and security; now, it no longer gives me the same feelings. On the other hand, the thought of me changing made me…
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One Year Later
One year ago, we moved across the globe to Switzerland and began a new chapter in our lives. It feels like just yesterday that we put our belongings on a boat, said our goodbyes, and boarded a plane to a new country with a one-way ticket. It certainly has been a great adventure thus far. Here are ten quick observations and thoughts on our first year in Switzerland: Amy and I are amazed at the overwhelming beauty that this country has to offer. It seems that no matter where we go, either into the mountains or walking the streets of a new city or village, the scenic landscapes captivate us…
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Bern, Switzerland
Bern, Switzerland, has been our home city for about a year. Even though we live just outside of the city in the village of Worb, my wife Amy goes to work there every day, and it is where my kids love to walk the arcades and look in the shops. The slow pace and beautiful architecture of the capital city of Switzerland captivate us every time we walk its century-old streets. One of my goals for this New Year is to explore a new place in Switzerland at least once a week. Whether that is a day excursion into the Alps, exploring the many different trails and lakes, or experiencing…
