How to Make America Great Again.

Some call it the Great American Tragedy; others, our country's biggest nightmare. Though be it only my third time voting, I have never been so physically + emotionally drained by an election. But here it is: Donald J. Trump is our forty-fifth President & honestly I have to admit, I'm angry but but more importantly I'm concerned: for Muslims, for women, for people of color, for middle-class Americans, for the LGBT+ community, for immigrants, for those with disabilities. I'm concerned about small businesses, our welfare + healthcare system, the future of education, the state of the environment & the overall safety and well-bring of our country. 

For those unable the process or in shock of all that has occurred, breathe; it's a lot to take in but take time to think + heal. You're not being irrational or overdramatic or too sensitive. Realize that the fact that you could voice your opinion + vote in the election means that you are a safe, blessed and greatly appreciated citizen of the United States of America. 

So what do we do from here? Keep going & don't give up. Get involved & let your voice be heard. Give back to your community, check in on your friends today, have a calm conversation over coffee with someone with opposing views. Keep standing up for the issues that matter the most. I do believe our voices can be heard. I believe together we can raise our voice + fight to make the changes that need to be made. America is a beautiful country made of the different backgrounds, stories & experiences of people from all walks of life.  Keep an open mind & let's fight together. 

We are stronger together & we can make America great again.

Thanks, Obama.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

 

Auld lang syne.

More adventures. 
More roadtrips.
More food. 
More music. 
More friends + family. 
More books.
More laughs.
More stories.
More memories.
Happy New Year, folks!

MMXVII.

Finish grad school.
Learn to swim + longboard.
Go to Boston.
Take a train trip through the Mid-Atlantic + New England.
Take a food road trip of the South.
Learn to speak Spanish + French fluently.
Take piano + guitar lessons.
Write a penpal.
Run a half-marathon.
Change the lives of one-hundred people.

Harbors & homes.

One of my all-time favorite books is entitled 'The Traveler' by Darin & Daniel Simkin. It's the story of a boy named who Charlie who decides to pack all of his time & belongings to travel the world in search of the perfect thing to make him happy. On his journey, Charlie meets different people, sees new movies, reads interesting books, listens to different types of music & experiences new things; he crosses oceans & rivers, climbs mountains & explores forests, too. But by the end of his journey, Charlie realizes that happiness isn't the journey itself but in the ability to return home & his stories with family & friends.

For the past year, I have travelled quite a bit, doing all of the things Charlie did; it has certainly been a year of exploration & discovery. With that, I am excited to announce that at the beginning of December, I will be returning back to Danville to help with the revitalization projects & create some growth, opportunity & positive change in the River District area. For the past eleven months, Richmond has been a harbor for me: a place where I have grown as a student, a Christian, an artist, a writer, a brother & a friend. It must as it saddens me to leave, I am excited for the opportunities present to me & curious to see what the future holds.

Richmond, thank you for your art scene, your abundance of food & craft beer, your wild & liberal spirit & for the dozens of people who have inspired me. This isn't goodbye, it's 'I can't wait to see you again.'

Danville, I'm coming home.

Number the stars.

There have been days when the dishes went unwashed & my clothes went unfolded. And some days, my bed just looked better unmade. But the words of a good friend have really resonated with me: just enough. Give us this day, our daily bread. Just enough bread to sustain us through the journey; just enough water to carry us home. 

It’s been awhile. And a lot has happened since the last time I’ve picked up a pen. The days of summer have drawn to a close & autumn has begun to make its debut. The days have become shorter and the leaves have began to curl & fall and suddenly I realize that the seasons are changing. And how I'm changing, too. Lately, nostalgia has really hit me & I’ve been thinking a lot about home. I’ve been reminiscing about the days I would spend watching football & running with my best-friend Ken, tailgating at Averett football games, leisurely walking downtown, noticing the falling leaves. I mean, don’t get me wrong; life is great here. Feeling a change in the weather, the joy & comfort I’ve found in the people I’ve met & the places I’ve explored. I think about this summer & how I took the opportunity to visit & catch up with my another one of my best-friends, Tanner, who lives in Bristol, Tennessee (although I hate driving & that five-hour drive was a nightmare, sorry dude.)  I've been think a lot about the differences in homes & harbors and asking where I see myself. Is this a place to place my roots or a place to take a drink of water on my journey back home?

So where do we go from here? I'm a runner: there are very few things that I enjoy more than lacing up my sneakers, grabbing my iPod & letting the soles of my feet kiss the ground. I put in my headphones and suddenly the world around me becomes a blur of color & sound. Running is a form of therapy for me; when things get messy & my mind becomes a minefield, I stop whatever I'm doing, grab my shoes & head for the open road, breathing out chaos, breathing in relief. But lately I feel as if I've been running so fast that I'm missing the view, that the world so full of color suddenly sings in black-and-white. I’ve realized all this time I’ve been running. But in the wrong direction. In the Go series at Hill City, we focused on Jonah and how God had a task for him. But Jonah decided to run. From fear, for safety. Which caused him to spend some time in the belly of a whale. Maybe that’s where I am. Sitting, waiting to see what direction God has me. Instead of me banging my fists on a table, searching & screaming for the answer, maybe He sees time for one more First Friday, one more Bible study, one more conversation over beer & coffee. I’ve found peace in the prayers I’ve shared with my Hill City Church family & in the conversations I’ve shared with friends back home. All with the same theme, just enough. Just enough patience to see where the wind takes me. Just enough courage to carry on until then.

Eleven months into living in this beautiful city, I've really been scratching my head & struggling to determine what the next step is. I've spent so much time wrestling with the concept of what home is & trying to map out where to go from here, that there hasn't been head space for other things. Space for conversations over beer & coffee, board games, or finding the perfect autumn leaf. A great friend once gave me this quote: 'wherever you are, be all there' & the theme for the next few sermons at my lovely church is 'we make the road by walking.' So until the dust settles, I'm striving to live by these mantras. Spending more time living for chilly autumn mornings & new music. Spending less time running & more time enjoying the view & numbering the stars.