Reflections on Compassion, Discernment, and Protecting What's Good I love to experience new things. Whether it’s a new country, park, city, food, or experience, the novelty feeds me. I am an explorer at heart, and that exploration doesn’t stop at the physical world. I tend to explore my inner …
Real Life Stories & Reflections
Stories from the road and the heart. In Real Life, I share reflections on travel, personal growth, and the everyday experiences that remind us what truly feels like home. These moments aren’t always picture-perfect—but they’re real, and they shape who we become.
At the Crossroads of Gettysburg
How a final stop at Gettysburg National Military Park on my summer road trip became a journey through history, perspective, and understanding. The sound of cicadas filled the warm summer air as I stepped out of the truck. A gentle breeze stirred the grass, carrying the earthy scent of sun-warmed …
The Trips I Didn’t Finish (and Why They Still Pull at Me)
I hurt my thumb in Mexico and didn’t even realize it was actually broken for a month. It happened after getting off a resort bus in the Cancun Hotel Zone — the kind of moment that should have been forgettable. On the surface I blamed it on the drinking… but if you’ve ever had resort drinks, you …
The Most Unexpected Moment in Cancun Wasn’t the Jungle Party
If you’d asked me what I’d remember most about Cancun, I would’ve guessed the obvious: turquoise water, an all-inclusive wristband, and a resort party with “jungle” in the name. But the most unexpected moment in Cancun wasn’t the Jungle Party. It was seeing my childhood best friend again, the …
Creepy Travel Stories: When Nature Adds a Plot Twist
The flashlight slowly scanned the top of the water, although I could barely see any actual water. There was a marshy scent in the warm summer air as I carefully scanned the thick lily pads sporting the occasional white and yellow flowers. The white flowers were beautiful water lilies and the …
5 Pieces of Travel Wisdom That Changed How I See the World
Travel Wisdom, Lessons, and Reflections from a New Year’s Eve in Santiago de Cuba, 1989 Some trips entertain you.Some trips relax you.And some trips — usually the ones that don’t go as planned — leave you with the kind of travel wisdom you carry for the rest of your life. My week in Cuba in …
