Category: Articles
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All the Wrong Things
There once was a village nestled deep within the forest. It was a thriving community whose residents looked out for one another and took pride in their homeland. Brought together by a sense of shared identity, this village was a refuge for all types of people: artisans and merchants, hunters and farmers, poets and bards.…
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When the Flowers Die
I stood by the compost box at the back of our yard, staring at the wilted roses and lilies I had just tossed inside. Only a few days ago these same flowers had been at the center of our dining room table, bursting with vibrant shades of pink and purple. Now they had been overtaken…
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Detox
Since leaving the career I’d once given my life to, I’ve felt the cold and calloused fingers of an identity crisis gradually tightening their grip around my neck. I guess that’s what happens when you morph from a teenager with a crystal clear picture of what your life’s supposed to be into a 30-something with…
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An Open Letter to Chuck Hockema
Dear Mr. Hockema, Congratulations on this week’s election victory, and welcome to the board of the Lafayette School Corporation. Although you don’t know me and I don’t know you, I commend your desire to support public education in our community. I firmly believe that our schools are some of our most important cultural institutions, and…
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An Awkward Exchange
I’m sitting at the car dealership, waiting on an oil change and new brake pads for our beloved family minivan. It’s fall break, and this is a long way from where I want to be. But with the responsibilities of adulthood and car ownership being what they are, here I am. Sitting, waiting, trying to…
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Stop the Slander
It’s that time of year. Backpacks are flying off the shelves at Walmart, school hallways are glistening with a fresh coat of wax, and parents are making their kids smile on the front porch for Instagram. As summer break comes to a bittersweet close, some 50 million American students will find themselves walking through the…
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Hold the Confetti
A younger version of myself would have been elated. In his eyes, this was a dream scenario, a climactic moment of ultimate victory on one of the key battlefields of the culture war for America’s soul. But the present version of myself couldn’t celebrate. I couldn’t even muster a half-hearted smile. When the Supreme Court…
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What Boston Taught Me
It all started as a sixth grader on the middle school cross country team. I wouldn’t have considered myself a runner at the time; I was just a shrimpy basketball player who wanted to get in shape for hoops season. But somewhere deep in my psyche, a seed had been planted. Since then, running has…
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A Hell of a Problem
On the evening of August 14, 1994, two young women were walking together down a quiet street on the outskirts of Casper, Wyoming. Best friends since middle school, Tammy Sloane and her roommate Jennifer Durkin were returning home from their shift at The Rusty Spoon, a local diner where they both worked as servers. They…
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14 for 14
On a snow-covered day in March of 2008, my life changed forever. I was just a kid back then, and I didn’t have any clue what I was doing. But it turned out to be the best thing I’ve ever done. I haven’t been the same since. And now, in March of 2022, I get…
Drew Thomas Humphrey 