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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…
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Language of Love
Every morning at 6:08 a.m., my son’s voice can be faintly heard from his bedroom. “Mommy…can I have some milk, please?” The communication is straightforward, and his words convey precisely what he wants. Living abroad gives you a new understanding of communication. Here in Switzerland, four languages are spoken, depending on the region you find yourself in. It also doesn’t help when you don’t realize that you have crossed into a different region. For instance, a simple “thank you” can be “Merci,” “Bitte,” or “Grazie”, depending on where you find yourself. More often than not, when the standard means of communication (language) breaks down, you sometimes have to resort to…
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“Good” Parenting
To act or not to act. To speak or not to speak. To intervene or not to intervene. It seems that these are the thoughts that consume a parent’s mind every day. It is said that parenting is the most challenging job in the world, and most parents who are engaged in their children’s lives would agree. Although we get plenty of advice from others and instinctively draw our parenting styles from those who have raised us, when we are face to face with our children, there isn’t a blueprint. During these times of indecision, we realize that we are left with only our thoughts. We are left with our…
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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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Blausee, Switzerland
A walk in Nature walks the soul back home -Mary Davis The magical Blasusee, Switzerland.
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Time is Love
The thoughts blow in uninvited during certain times of our lives. And the feelings accompanying these thoughts make us pause, at least for a moment, and wonder how the days of our lives keep coming and going like the sea tide under our feet. Sometimes, we welcome these thoughts and can wrestle with a greater truth. On other occasions, we don’t or just can’t. So, we move quickly to replace them with thoughts we believe will make us happier. Or, at the very least, thoughts that masquerade the reality of our current state. Nevertheless, whether we welcome or resist them, we have no power over the truth of where these…
