Life Examined

A candid reflection on midlife, identity, and the seductive pull of external validation. From chasing bigger audiences and prestigious media roles to discovering a deeper calling in counseling psychology, this story explores career misalignment, grief, divorce, loneliness, and the transformation of hardship into empathy. It also considers the shift from reaching thousands to forming meaningful one-to-one connections and giving experience back through service.

Growing up amid Aspen’s beauty, adventure, and danger, one writer reflects on five young lives lost to mountain tragedies. The story explores how repeated loss reshapes a tight-knit community, why grief transcends class and circumstance, and the powerful pull of adrenaline sports. It also considers the emotional toll on families, rescuers, and witnesses, and the need to keep remembrance alive.

Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

A meditation on the strange engineering and rituals of analog espresso machines. A reflection on specialist versus generalist tendencies prompted by a tiny cup. The tense choreography of grinder, dosage and timing gets attention. Tinkering becomes a mindful craft. Small servings are framed as tools for presence and accumulated meaning.

Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to Life Examined at lifeexamined.substack.com/subscribe