On one of my first commutes to work I had left my headphones at my apartment. This is a big deal to someone riding the CTA, because headphones provide a welcomed distraction to the chaos of life in the city. This train ride felt really long and I tried to ignore the awkwardness I was feeling. As I stood to exit the train, an older man also stood so we made eye contact and shared a small grin. We stepped off, and as we hit the platform he started chatting to me about his day. We walked for about five minutes together before our routes took a shift as I went to walk into work and he was to continue down the sidewalk. Before we parted ways, he asked for my name and we shook hands as we shared a more genuine, friend-like smile. I have reflected on this moment […]

Before we even get started here, I think it is important to know that I grew up in a small farm town in Northeast Indiana, to devoted and incredibly loving parents. My hometown, North Manchester Indiana, is a Tree City USA with one university, two retirement homes and three stoplights. If you travel 4 miles east of town limit, you’d find my parents’ house tucked in a woods with a long gravel lane. This environment has to be one of the top places for a child to grow up. I had frogs to catch, hills to sled down, and many cousins to play basketball with in my grandparents’ barn. Now that I am three years out of high school and into my degree at Valparaiso University, I love to reflect on my past as I am continuously blown away by my present and future. Now that you know where I […]