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Weather, Writing, and Truth
As the emerging clouds roll in here in Switzerland, they not only threaten the last glimpse of sunlight but also 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 to say the least. The surrounding Alps have the ability to both hold in and prevent weather patterns to emerge which result in the drastic changes that we experience. (A few of us even refer to the weather as being schizophrenic in nature) On one hand the ever-changing weather can…
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A “Religious” Walk Home
I had an intense “religious” experience one night while walking home from my small Swiss village of Worb. An experience that not only prompted childhood memories of my past but gave my present day desires and future longings a place and time to be experienced as well. The pathway home was lit only by the reflective light of the full moon 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. And yet at the same time, the dark Swiss countryside was calling me to be present not only to my desires…
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The Bridge
Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness. -Pope Francis 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 “It’s better to feel pain than nothing at all. The opposite of love is indifference.” -The Lumineers, “Stubborn Love” 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…
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Language of Love
Every morning at 6:08 a.m. the voice of my son can be faintly heard from his bedroom. “Mommy…can I have some milk, please?” The communication is straightforward and his words convey exactly what he wants. Living abroad gives you a new understanding of communication. Here in Switzerland, there are four languages spoken, all depending on the region you find yourself in. It can not sometimes help, especially when you don’t realize that you have crossed over into a different region. For instance, a simple “thank you” can be “Merci,” “Bitte,” or “Grazie.” More often than not, when the normal means of communication (language) breaks down, you sometimes have to resort…
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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 the mind of a parent every day. It is said that parenting is the toughest job in the world, and I would think that most parents who are engaged in the lives of their children would agree. For although we get plenty of advice from others and we instinctively draw our own parenting styles from those who have raised us, at the end of the day, when we are face to face with our own children, there simply isn’t a blueprint. It is…
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To Change or Not To Change
There was a moment when it hit me. Deep down I knew that it was never going to be the same again. Although things looked identical, my relationship to them had somehow changed. My friends were still there and yet my connection to them was different in ways that 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 one hand this community had brought me comfort and security, and now it no longer gave me the same feelings. On the other…
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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: Switzerland is Beautiful 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…
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Blausee, Switzerland
God speaks. He always speaks. And yet it is during the times when we feel alone or abandoned that we need to hear His voice the most. Yesterday, Ash Wednesday, was a day to begin the journey into the “desert”, or “dark wood” of our hearts. Midway in the journey of our life I came to myself in a dark wood, For the straight way was lost. -Dante, The Divine Comedy, [Inferno I:1-3] The Lenten season is all about confronting the things that we would rather not confront. However, if we are not careful, we can be tempted to believe that we are alone in this confrontation, alone in the…
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Time is Love
The thoughts blow in uninvited during certain times of our lives. And the feelings that accompany 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. There are times when we welcome these thoughts and are able to wrestle with a greater truth. While other times 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 them or we resist them, we have…
