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Year Two
And just like that, the second year has come and gone. It is hard to believe that we have called Switzerland home for two years. This year was an incredible year of travel (5 different countries), many great family visits, and tremendous growth and experiences for our two boys. Although much has remained the same from our first year (here is a link to that list), namely, the beauty of the country, the balanced pace of life, and especially making sure that we always have 2 CHF on us at all times for the WC, things have changed a bit during our second year—things that you can never foresee or…
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The Image
(The picture is inside of the Duomo di San Martino Cathedral in Lucca, Italy) There is an image that gives me comfort,I love it with every ounce of my being.Like a teddy bear or a blanket,I grip it tightly and bury my thoughts into its disturbing appearance.I have been drawn to its presence all of my life,I love this image with every ounce of my being. There is an image that I resist,I despise it with every ounce of my being.Like a teddy bear or a blanket,I am drawn to the comfort that I feel in my avoidance,I am addicted to the smile that is birthed when I dismiss it,I am…
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The Gray
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be older. Maybe it comes from my tendency to avoid the present, or maybe it is a desire for what I view to be simpler times ahead. Either way, I often think about what my life might be like 30 to 40 years from now. Turning another year older over the weekend brought me physically closer to this reality, but it hasn’t extinguished the desire. In some ways, celebrating my birthday has only further ignited my passion for simplicity. A passion to be at peace within the gray. If we pay attention to our souls, growing older forces us…
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Feeling the Falls
Photos were taken at Trümmelbach Falls in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. They are considered to be the largest underground waterfalls in Europe. Growing up, I remember thinking that my tendency to be introspective was a deficiency, almost a sign of weakness. So much so that in certain circles, especially when participating in sports, I often felt less masculine. I had bought into the “men don’t feel, men don’t cry, men don’t show emotion” mantra. I remember feeling like I always had to turn off my thoughts but never could. As a result, my natural tendencies to feel and think brought about many insecurities. I am less insecure about it today, but I…
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Love Is
We use love in many of our sayings. We attach love to all kinds of emotions and feelings. We believe we love others when we are satisfied with how we order them into our world. We do these things believing we know what love is. We do these things believing we are in control. It is natural to try to control the very thing we desire most because, in some ways, we want to believe that having control will make us safe and secure. Safe from pain and free from feeling empty. But somehow, we know better. Deep down, we know that love can’t be caught and controlled. Instead, it…
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Opposites
It’s summer. Which means less structure. Late nights. Travel. And time to enjoy the warmth of the sun. For many of us we have spent the last few months counting the days until the first day of summer. Yet, after spending one week with our children in the house all day, it can also be the time when we count the days until school begins again. I am currently experiencing the second summer in Switzerland comprised of these types of days with my boys. Days in which I am both very grateful for and don’t ever want to change. For I know it is time that I will never get…
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Weather, Writing, and Truth
As the emerging clouds roll in here in Switzerland, they threaten the last glimpse of sunlight and your plans for the day. And yet, just as the clouds move in and the rain comes down, the sun can reappear just as quickly, and with it, unexpected opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. The weather in Switzerland is unpredictable. The surrounding Alps can both hold in and prevent weather patterns from emerging, which results in drastic changes. (A few of us even refer to the weather as being schizophrenic) On the one hand, the ever-changing weather can create fluctuating landscape portraits. This is why you can take a picture from the same…
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A “Religious” Walk Home
One night, while walking home from my small Swiss village of Worb, I had an intense “religious” experience. This experience prompted childhood memories of my past and gave my present-day desires and future longings a place and time to be experienced. The pathway home was lit only by the full moon’s reflective light, which reminded me of walking down a dark Pennsylvania road as a boy, wanting nothing more than to know who I was in relation to this big world. At the same time, the dark Swiss countryside was calling me to be present not only to my desires of today but also to my cravings for what is…
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The Bridge
The first step, that very first step So hard but filled with such emotion Our feelings propel us to act They propel us to move So we step We walk Yet, the more that we walk Our feelings fail us They die We are exposed Our inner most identities cry out Our daily activities no longer hide our desires We are left with simply ourselves We are on the journey Our anxiety builds So we look left, we look right We look for anything to save us We even look behind us But our past can’t help us now We are on the journey Our bodies ache Our thoughts run…
