Allen Nelson

At dinner last night, my son and I started talking about history. I asked him what schools are teaching today about our past. His answer made me pause, because it stirred a memory of my own. I remember my 10th-grade history teacher. She was a small woman with a quiet voice, but there were moments when she nearly couldn’t continue teaching because the weight of the stories overwhelmed her. I don’t remember all the dates. I don’t remember every name. But I remember how she made me feel . Proud....

In my search for the perfect swing — the one that might finally lead to my perfect game — I came across a phrase that stopped me cold. It summed up something I’ve felt for a long time but couldn’t quite name: sometimes the way we’re working feels right… but it’s still wrong. In life, like golf, we wake up with good intentions. We take aim at projects, conversations, and responsibilities hoping they’ll go smoothly. Sometimes we take a few practice swings — a conversation here, a text...

This one was an easy one to write. I’m sure we’ve all tried and failed. We’ve all wanted to be better at something we’re working on — stronger, calmer, more consistent, more disciplined. And sometimes, after days… weeks… even months of effort, we find ourselves asking the quiet question no one likes to admit out loud: Is this work even worth it if I can’t see the results yet? That’s the moment where most people stop. But it’s also the moment where something deeper is being asked of us. This...