Meaningful Conversations With Delicious Beverages
Nearing my 40th birthday, I discusses my habit of undergoing intense self-reflection every 5 years, with a 10th year meltdown. There is solace during these periods in faith, family, conversations with Christian friends and interactions with two long-time friends who provide different perspectives.
I will share with you something I learned by being in conflict with multiple people whom I care about. The lesson is that confrontation is love and cancel culture denies dignity.
A lot of us have a tendency to focus on the value of independence. Especially among guys, there can be a tendency to treat friends and support as a weakness, like we shouldn't need anyone. This is stupid.
In their last conversation about the Saints, AJ and Brandon take a look at the example of holy friendship set out by St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi. It's an important reminder for all of us that, while our call to holiness is unique, it isn't in isolation. We are made to support and receive support from one another.
No man is an island. We all exist in the context of many different communities, whether our family, friends, or workplace, we are a product and producer of community. Too often, we focus on the impact community has on us, but we don't really focus on our role in shaping who is part of our community.
As we get ready for a different Christmas than we've ever had before, AJ and Brandon discuss the importance of remembering what Christmas is really about. While many of our holiday traditions will either be smaller or skipped entirely this year, let's take a moment to focus on the eternal joy of the season.
Friends are an undeniably essential part of life. We all need friends, there are no two ways about it. That being said, there is something that has been weighing on me during this time of various degrees of quarantine. In all my time alone, away from many of my friends, I've been wondering why some of them call me, some I call, and others we seem to be fine just waiting to see each other again eventually.