Perhaps what people are glad to pay for in this case, rather than some snake-oil secret knowledge, is an honest and distinctive voice that cuts against the prevailing cultural grain--in part by being resolutely old-fashioned, in some sense. Whatever you write about, you'll be writing from that angle and feeding folks something they're evidently hungry for. I wouldn't worry overly about metrics and such, seems to me that's never been your way (or your "brand," if we must talk in such terms). Just keep making cast-iron-skillet-over-campfire cuisine in the age of digital pop tarts and people will keep coming, I expect. Thanks for avoiding the gimmick trap.
Thank you Jonathan, your comment is refreshing and emboldening to me and I am grateful to have readers like you. The question of "the metrics" is such a hard one, because were it to be that I was some kind of desert hermit, sans obligations or bills, I would write without so much as a look at any of the numbers, and thus far, have mostly succeeded in avoiding scrutinizing them very much... the change from "lifelong vagrant and drop-out" to "lifelong vagrant and drop-out who suddenly has a wife and baby to care for" is a bumpy road indeed. Suddenly, I feel compelled to care a great deal about the money, the long-term stability of this "business" of mine (a word I'd rather not apply here but alas).
But then again, how much of my nerves on the matter of money and so on have come to me by way of the ceaseless warnings I've received about having children? Always, someone is there to remind me that parenting is expensive, that I need to be doing this or that, that I will no longer be able to live as I have lived, etc etc. Are these warnings true and real? In part, I'm sure they are, but again, I do wonder if we may prove to be the exception to at least a few of the "rules"... certainly, both I and my wife have managed to be the exceptions to many rules, sometimes for years on end...
Anyway, we shall see what is in store; I defer to God almighty for the real answers as to how these next couple decades will go for us, and a long the way I am quite glad to have kind folks like yourself reading and following along!
Well, one rule that seems to hold true for almost everyone I know who's had kids is that the prospect of a first child, especially, is scary as hell, and tends to bring up all sorts of survival-level fears, fears of one's inadequacy as a parent and provider, etc. It's natural to be anxious right now, is what I'm saying. But your faith is a huge asset, and anything you can do by way of grounding (literally feet-on-earth) won't hurt, either. You seem like someone who thrives by going against the grain, and maybe now is another time to do that. If you don't mind an unsolicited suggestion, what if you absconded deep(er) into the woods for even just a night or so, to reconnect with the elements and commune a bit outside the digital fray? Maybe stepping away will help you find the clarity you seek.
It is a great suggestion -- stepping out into the deeper realms of the wilderness. For now, we cannot; my wife is very, very pregnant and camping is off the table. We are simply happy to be home after months of caring for my dying mother, and for now, it is enough. But, once our relatives go home after the birth, once the baby is strong and ready, and as the winter comes on, we've been talking about going out to the desert for a few months. May spend some time in the Great Basin Desert, where I am thinking I will (finally) write a book. Man, woman, and child, out in the expansive desolation, coming together tightly as a little family... thinking all the while of Saint Joseph and the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary and the Christ Child...
This notion -- even if we don't do it -- is sustaining to me right now; it assuages at least a little bit of the nervousness I am carrying. Anyway, thanks again, these discussions are so valuable to me.
When they say kids are expensive, I am sure they do not take into account the way your kids will grow up. I know there are expenses, but opening the door and telling them to go explore once the chores are done does not cost as much as a charger for an Ipad. They will be blessed.
This essay is exactly what I'm here for. Interesting oblique angle rambling on the page heartfelt thinking. You uncover some truths that "normal" thinkers can't see. One might say you are the "one weird trick" to getting back to thinking, and therefore a bit of truth.
And on the schedule... please don't feel the need to pop out essays on schedule. It's the off schedule essay drop that tells me you're really working on stuff up there. The day you feel you MUST post to meet a deadline is the day you need to get out of the house and travel.
Indeed -- getting out of the house and traveling will be a long time coming by the time we are through with what we are now ambling through. My wife and I keep eying the map of the desert West, thinking to maybe tote the baby out there and rent a place for the winter, where I can maybe finally write a book... perhaps even could have a "Hinterlands Road Show," visiting with readers all over the country...
Many good things ahead; I am glad you are here for them and a part of it. Couldn't do it without you. God be with you!
1. Once you have a child, you will have far less time to do anything, so write now while you can! On the positive side, you will have far more to write about!
2. Substack seems to be sinking into the politicized mess that "X" has become. Stay far from politics and write about the land and people and you will always have an audience. You may eventually have to change platforms or start your own. You might also start thinking about putting your existing writings together into a real book, or at least an ebook. I am considering the latter with my historical research as I near the end of the time I will be able to do so.
3. I like your reference to Gnosticism. Huge numbers of people seem to believe secrets that would save mankind are being hidden, that there are ways of getting rich quick that certain people will part with for money (the only honest way to get rich is to live on less than you make and invest the difference). I see that in the online worship of Nikola Tesla, who while certainly brilliant, had no reservations about using deception or outright lying to mislead people. And, as usual in real life, while some of his inventions worked well, others didn't work at all. But according to his worshipers, those did work but were hidden from the public by the rich, who are all involved in an ages long conspiracy to stop progress for their own profit.
4. In an age when fewer and fewer people read (or even CAN read), I have reservations about the future of writing as a way of making a living. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't write if you love to do so, especially as you are doing so well at it.
No doubt I have seen many of the same cancerous problems that "X" has succumbed to popping up on here with increasing frequency. It should be considered telling that many of the largest Substacks on Substack are political outlets peddling partisan prose... nonetheless I think we are 'safe' for now; there is a startlingly wholesome community that persists on here, and I get the idea that even if this platform falls apart entirely that core group will migrate wherever there are thoughtful people congregating..
As for having less time to do anything once the baby is born, my wife and I are treating my work as a writer no differently than a construction worker might treat his work... she has blessedly affirmed that I can and should take my "40 hours" each week to read and think and write, just as a journeyman carpenter might do the same. Whether this industry will implode due to decreased literacy, or AI, or whatever -- I can't say. I only know that I will not throw in the towel until compelled by circumstance to do so.
When / if it's all over, I would be more than happy to retreat to life as a janitor, or as a motel night clerk, or a truck stop cashier... or perhaps to keep a herd of goats in the desert... God knows, we are with Him.
I have worked as a janitor. Union job, not that bad. Cleaned my own area, was responsible for my own work - not somebody else's. Got a pension out of it.
STOP!!!!! STOP OVERTHINKING, DAMMIT! Do what you do best - writing from the gut. You are unique. WTP need your off the grid and unestablishmentarianisms to counter the traditional media who have lost their way, their moral compass and whatever atoms of soul they may have had as children and was beat out of them in J-school.😎
Of the many pithy phrases you’ve laid out here the one that resonates most to me is, ‘ I pine for heaven publicly’. Your success is in part due to this innate ability you have to distill accessible and zeitgeist-worthy truth, and in part our Lord’s good hand upon you. You are a kind of missionary. My support comes in the form of prayer, that he will continue to bless and use you.
Amy, more than this your support comes in our knowing that you are there, that you exist, that you are a friend! I cannot tell you what a blessing to us it was to spend some time with you and your husband, and to enjoy an interlude in your world. Those are the kinds of interactions that lend traveling its soul-nourishing quality — finding luminous human beings out in the wild, beholding them for a moment, and remembering that they are there. Gives us great hope.
Thanks Amy — hope to cross paths some time again, whether on this side of heaven or the other!
From one misty-eyed woman to another: Precisely. I had the privilege of meeting the Hickman’s last year. I’ll not be the same. Where are you writing from if it’s not impertinent to ask? I’m in Ca.
I am living out the rest of my life, however short or long, on essentially a homestead in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Born & raised in CA, but escaped many decades ago. Lots of wandering, all over the world in between. I wish I'd had a voice like Andy's to tell even a part of the stories... Not sure if I'd publish them, but to have a 'there, but for the grace of G-d' journal of passing along a few pearls, perhaps? for my children and grandchildren. If I live to see great-grandchildren, I will have long exceeded anything I've ever earned or prayed for!
Puzzle: you are from the US yet use the British term ‘pensioner’ not retiree? Why not write some of your adventures here on Substack? What do you have to lose?
P.S. You are the reason I found Sunstack. I am not on any social media. I greatly dislike the effects that 'voicing my opinion' (aka, 'feels') via anonymous rantings on disparate media has had on our society.
In your writing I found strength of character. Integrity. A 'voice in the wilderness', trying to relate his understanding of our current world with erudition and a unique perspective. I applaud all of your efforts - even the ramblings-of-the-lonely-road types, as well as your declarations of faith.
As a pensioner on fixed income, i have yet to pay for any subscriptions - whether on Substack, or elsewhere. Perhaps because if I become (more?) scatterbrained or memory-deficient, an automatic payment may continue in perpetuity so my eventual executor may have to deal with it...
But - I was going to try to Subscribe to your Hinterlands, regardless, as I truly do wish to support you and your expanding family. What I received when clicking on the Subscribe icon was an 'Upgrade outside the app' (frankly, an option I would prefer - like a one time donation, which I had planned to do, once your baby arrived :)
It requested that I go to the Substack app, which I did, and I STILL cannot subscribe to you, after numerous attempts.
I thought you may want to know this.
And, if you have a P.O Box or another mailing address to use, I'd be happy to send a baby gift! (Just tell me the name to use on the check: A.M. Hickman, or Andy, or your wife's?...)
Blessings, again, to you all.
Prayers for your mother and her hospice team, too.
I cannot let this pass without comment. I believe you write with the inspiration of the Spirit. There is life in your words. Whatever they may be. I don't always agree with you, but I cannot deny that you love God and walk with Him. And when I read your words the Spirit draws closer to me, and refreshes my weary soul.
I subscribe to the Hinterlands because I am drawn to miracles and romance. Like Whitman's yawp and Dickinson's whispers, you capture in words the hopeful longing we all endure. Grounding your hope in God's being emboldens me.
I second John's STOP overthinking. The ones of us who are here are HERE for you, Andy. This is a brilliant, perfectly timed essay that I feel speaks directly to me. The mark of great writing is that while you are grappling with your own humanity, you touch the souls of others deeply. Thank you for the Substack snake oil/chicken crossing analogies!
I think, but not sure, what people are really looking for is worlds beyond their own. Not fake worlds pretending to be real. It’s fascinating to learn how other people live and why. That’s why we read. That’s why we travel. It’s slightly voyeuristic and satisfies a wanderlust in all of us to see the inner workings of say a chef, a writer, a mother, a lawyer, a fashionista, a health professional or even politics if you can believe it. Truth or fiction it’s all about how you turn the tale. We can’t be all of these things or know what all of these people know, so we read. To find out. At least that’s why I read. I could read about anything if it’s written well enough.
Only two paragraphs in. But I must answer your query as to why I pay you. It is simple: you are true to your nature and you realize there is a deep civilizational wound caused and compounded by digital industrialization. Your work and lifestyle are part of a movement to reconnect ppl to their natures. Keep poasting and continue living humanly.
I'm interested in the perspectives of insightful people based upon real experiences and engagement in the world. Whether I agree fully or not, these voices light my inner fire to a degree that any ivory tower theoretical explanations about life cannot. I've only found your writing here on Substack not that long ago, but I'm glad I did because that is exactly what you very eloquently deliver. Even when not directly writing about adventure or travel, I find your insight based upon them highly valuable. Thank you for that.
I like just what that picture of you on your front porch at the end of the article is all about. The beckoning to have a serious conversation.
I appreciate your musings last year about the canals, the whimsical dreaming of living on a canal boat. The idea of having a waterfall in your backyard. The near-post-apocalypse that your area is experiencing - but we see and feel oncoming glimpses of in our neck of the woods/country as well.
The juxtaposition of bringing a new life into the world while death waits at the door.
And I will say in likewise fashion that even just your username is a testament to something good and worth holding onto — every time I see one of your comments or posts, I see the words “Thriving the Future” and remember to seriously weigh and consider what “thriving” could mean in every circumstance I find myself in or heading towards… so thank you!
Many good things are coming up ahead, and I am glad you are with us on the path. God be with you!
I write from early morning Australia in the winter darkness. I just converted from a free reader to a yearly paid one. I write and am the grandmother of five granddaughters and a grandson. You will find with the birth of your first child that the world inside your home opens up into a universe of thought and adventure. There will be much to consider and write about with that moment and beyond. I look forward to reading your and Keturah's considerations. No need to go aroaming. Sending best wishes for a safe journey into the world for your little one.
The nice thing about Substack that you don't get with other platforms is the fact that once you're connected with someone (in other words, once they subscribe), you have a direct relationship with them (their email inbox)--whereas with other platforms, you must always in essence connect via the platform. This fact alone gives Substack a huge boost in longevity despite what slop might make its way onto the platform. The hard part, of course, is making new connections. That, from what I've gathered, just seems to be time multiplied by output multiplied by quality. Either way, keep doing what you're doing--you're very clearly making profound and deep connections and impacts on people. And if we're being totally honest, it is voices like yours that make Substack stand out as a platform. You may not realize it, but if you were to leave, Substack would be a noticeably different place, at least to me.
Excellent point about the email lists; we can download them and keep them for future use, even if Substack were to go under entirely, which is huge. My 41,000-follower audience on X would die if X went under; it would evaporate.
And as for your kind words, thank you Ryan, I have lately been in need of encouragement and I take heart in what you say here. God bless.
You already have the "one weird trick," and have already shared it.
Authenticity. And Surrender.
("Which came first, the authenticity or the surrender?")
Obviously when you write it takes getting into position (quiet moment at the desk or kitchen table etc.), focus, spilling out thoughts into sentences, simmering the whole mess for a while, rewriting ("there is no good writing, only good rewriting"), excising what is boring for you to reread, so out it goes (see Elmore Leonard's 10th rule of writing). Rinse, repeat.
But none of the procedural steps would matter at all without the authenticity.
What is the weird magic of authenticity? It is acceptance of your life, your experience, your observations, your thoughts and your sentences as real and valuable, and that only happens with a kind of beautiful surrender to the world.
Authenticity, always seeing with new eyes, always seeing with old eyes. Surrender (acceptance), this is the world I am meant to be in, this is the world I am meant to decipher and embrace for as long as the gift of life remains.
What is most remarkable about this recipe (authenticism and surrender) is that everyone, literally everyone, can do it.
It takes nothing, no special gift, no vast education, not even that much discipline to be authentic (just be you), and even less to surrender (just accept the universe as it is).
Perhaps what people are glad to pay for in this case, rather than some snake-oil secret knowledge, is an honest and distinctive voice that cuts against the prevailing cultural grain--in part by being resolutely old-fashioned, in some sense. Whatever you write about, you'll be writing from that angle and feeding folks something they're evidently hungry for. I wouldn't worry overly about metrics and such, seems to me that's never been your way (or your "brand," if we must talk in such terms). Just keep making cast-iron-skillet-over-campfire cuisine in the age of digital pop tarts and people will keep coming, I expect. Thanks for avoiding the gimmick trap.
Thank you Jonathan, your comment is refreshing and emboldening to me and I am grateful to have readers like you. The question of "the metrics" is such a hard one, because were it to be that I was some kind of desert hermit, sans obligations or bills, I would write without so much as a look at any of the numbers, and thus far, have mostly succeeded in avoiding scrutinizing them very much... the change from "lifelong vagrant and drop-out" to "lifelong vagrant and drop-out who suddenly has a wife and baby to care for" is a bumpy road indeed. Suddenly, I feel compelled to care a great deal about the money, the long-term stability of this "business" of mine (a word I'd rather not apply here but alas).
But then again, how much of my nerves on the matter of money and so on have come to me by way of the ceaseless warnings I've received about having children? Always, someone is there to remind me that parenting is expensive, that I need to be doing this or that, that I will no longer be able to live as I have lived, etc etc. Are these warnings true and real? In part, I'm sure they are, but again, I do wonder if we may prove to be the exception to at least a few of the "rules"... certainly, both I and my wife have managed to be the exceptions to many rules, sometimes for years on end...
Anyway, we shall see what is in store; I defer to God almighty for the real answers as to how these next couple decades will go for us, and a long the way I am quite glad to have kind folks like yourself reading and following along!
Well, one rule that seems to hold true for almost everyone I know who's had kids is that the prospect of a first child, especially, is scary as hell, and tends to bring up all sorts of survival-level fears, fears of one's inadequacy as a parent and provider, etc. It's natural to be anxious right now, is what I'm saying. But your faith is a huge asset, and anything you can do by way of grounding (literally feet-on-earth) won't hurt, either. You seem like someone who thrives by going against the grain, and maybe now is another time to do that. If you don't mind an unsolicited suggestion, what if you absconded deep(er) into the woods for even just a night or so, to reconnect with the elements and commune a bit outside the digital fray? Maybe stepping away will help you find the clarity you seek.
It is a great suggestion -- stepping out into the deeper realms of the wilderness. For now, we cannot; my wife is very, very pregnant and camping is off the table. We are simply happy to be home after months of caring for my dying mother, and for now, it is enough. But, once our relatives go home after the birth, once the baby is strong and ready, and as the winter comes on, we've been talking about going out to the desert for a few months. May spend some time in the Great Basin Desert, where I am thinking I will (finally) write a book. Man, woman, and child, out in the expansive desolation, coming together tightly as a little family... thinking all the while of Saint Joseph and the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary and the Christ Child...
This notion -- even if we don't do it -- is sustaining to me right now; it assuages at least a little bit of the nervousness I am carrying. Anyway, thanks again, these discussions are so valuable to me.
Good plan 👌 👍
Wishing you & your family all the best!
When they say kids are expensive, I am sure they do not take into account the way your kids will grow up. I know there are expenses, but opening the door and telling them to go explore once the chores are done does not cost as much as a charger for an Ipad. They will be blessed.
Very well said, and very true, Jonathan. The fact is that there is a market, though perhaps a bit smaller, for Mr. Hickman's work.
This essay is exactly what I'm here for. Interesting oblique angle rambling on the page heartfelt thinking. You uncover some truths that "normal" thinkers can't see. One might say you are the "one weird trick" to getting back to thinking, and therefore a bit of truth.
And on the schedule... please don't feel the need to pop out essays on schedule. It's the off schedule essay drop that tells me you're really working on stuff up there. The day you feel you MUST post to meet a deadline is the day you need to get out of the house and travel.
Indeed -- getting out of the house and traveling will be a long time coming by the time we are through with what we are now ambling through. My wife and I keep eying the map of the desert West, thinking to maybe tote the baby out there and rent a place for the winter, where I can maybe finally write a book... perhaps even could have a "Hinterlands Road Show," visiting with readers all over the country...
Many good things ahead; I am glad you are here for them and a part of it. Couldn't do it without you. God be with you!
Came here to say the same thing.
A few words of advice:
1. Once you have a child, you will have far less time to do anything, so write now while you can! On the positive side, you will have far more to write about!
2. Substack seems to be sinking into the politicized mess that "X" has become. Stay far from politics and write about the land and people and you will always have an audience. You may eventually have to change platforms or start your own. You might also start thinking about putting your existing writings together into a real book, or at least an ebook. I am considering the latter with my historical research as I near the end of the time I will be able to do so.
3. I like your reference to Gnosticism. Huge numbers of people seem to believe secrets that would save mankind are being hidden, that there are ways of getting rich quick that certain people will part with for money (the only honest way to get rich is to live on less than you make and invest the difference). I see that in the online worship of Nikola Tesla, who while certainly brilliant, had no reservations about using deception or outright lying to mislead people. And, as usual in real life, while some of his inventions worked well, others didn't work at all. But according to his worshipers, those did work but were hidden from the public by the rich, who are all involved in an ages long conspiracy to stop progress for their own profit.
4. In an age when fewer and fewer people read (or even CAN read), I have reservations about the future of writing as a way of making a living. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't write if you love to do so, especially as you are doing so well at it.
Ted, thank you for your rich reply.
No doubt I have seen many of the same cancerous problems that "X" has succumbed to popping up on here with increasing frequency. It should be considered telling that many of the largest Substacks on Substack are political outlets peddling partisan prose... nonetheless I think we are 'safe' for now; there is a startlingly wholesome community that persists on here, and I get the idea that even if this platform falls apart entirely that core group will migrate wherever there are thoughtful people congregating..
As for having less time to do anything once the baby is born, my wife and I are treating my work as a writer no differently than a construction worker might treat his work... she has blessedly affirmed that I can and should take my "40 hours" each week to read and think and write, just as a journeyman carpenter might do the same. Whether this industry will implode due to decreased literacy, or AI, or whatever -- I can't say. I only know that I will not throw in the towel until compelled by circumstance to do so.
When / if it's all over, I would be more than happy to retreat to life as a janitor, or as a motel night clerk, or a truck stop cashier... or perhaps to keep a herd of goats in the desert... God knows, we are with Him.
Pax, AMH
I have worked as a janitor. Union job, not that bad. Cleaned my own area, was responsible for my own work - not somebody else's. Got a pension out of it.
STOP!!!!! STOP OVERTHINKING, DAMMIT! Do what you do best - writing from the gut. You are unique. WTP need your off the grid and unestablishmentarianisms to counter the traditional media who have lost their way, their moral compass and whatever atoms of soul they may have had as children and was beat out of them in J-school.😎
Thanks John, I appreciate your encouraging words! Really, they come as a blessing to me; the road has been hard and weird lately...
Pax, AMH
Of the many pithy phrases you’ve laid out here the one that resonates most to me is, ‘ I pine for heaven publicly’. Your success is in part due to this innate ability you have to distill accessible and zeitgeist-worthy truth, and in part our Lord’s good hand upon you. You are a kind of missionary. My support comes in the form of prayer, that he will continue to bless and use you.
Amy, more than this your support comes in our knowing that you are there, that you exist, that you are a friend! I cannot tell you what a blessing to us it was to spend some time with you and your husband, and to enjoy an interlude in your world. Those are the kinds of interactions that lend traveling its soul-nourishing quality — finding luminous human beings out in the wild, beholding them for a moment, and remembering that they are there. Gives us great hope.
Thanks Amy — hope to cross paths some time again, whether on this side of heaven or the other!
🙏🏻❤️Kiss that beautiful belly for me will ya?
Your interactions, here, in writing to each other?
This is why I read Andy's Substack
Blessings to you all, from a misty-eyed old woman, who prays for a future of connectedness - with our lives, our land and our Maker.
From one misty-eyed woman to another: Precisely. I had the privilege of meeting the Hickman’s last year. I’ll not be the same. Where are you writing from if it’s not impertinent to ask? I’m in Ca.
I am living out the rest of my life, however short or long, on essentially a homestead in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Born & raised in CA, but escaped many decades ago. Lots of wandering, all over the world in between. I wish I'd had a voice like Andy's to tell even a part of the stories... Not sure if I'd publish them, but to have a 'there, but for the grace of G-d' journal of passing along a few pearls, perhaps? for my children and grandchildren. If I live to see great-grandchildren, I will have long exceeded anything I've ever earned or prayed for!
Puzzle: you are from the US yet use the British term ‘pensioner’ not retiree? Why not write some of your adventures here on Substack? What do you have to lose?
*Substack* (criminies!)
P.S. You are the reason I found Sunstack. I am not on any social media. I greatly dislike the effects that 'voicing my opinion' (aka, 'feels') via anonymous rantings on disparate media has had on our society.
In your writing I found strength of character. Integrity. A 'voice in the wilderness', trying to relate his understanding of our current world with erudition and a unique perspective. I applaud all of your efforts - even the ramblings-of-the-lonely-road types, as well as your declarations of faith.
As a pensioner on fixed income, i have yet to pay for any subscriptions - whether on Substack, or elsewhere. Perhaps because if I become (more?) scatterbrained or memory-deficient, an automatic payment may continue in perpetuity so my eventual executor may have to deal with it...
But - I was going to try to Subscribe to your Hinterlands, regardless, as I truly do wish to support you and your expanding family. What I received when clicking on the Subscribe icon was an 'Upgrade outside the app' (frankly, an option I would prefer - like a one time donation, which I had planned to do, once your baby arrived :)
It requested that I go to the Substack app, which I did, and I STILL cannot subscribe to you, after numerous attempts.
I thought you may want to know this.
And, if you have a P.O Box or another mailing address to use, I'd be happy to send a baby gift! (Just tell me the name to use on the check: A.M. Hickman, or Andy, or your wife's?...)
Blessings, again, to you all.
Prayers for your mother and her hospice team, too.
Warmest regards, Patricia (Trish :)
I cannot let this pass without comment. I believe you write with the inspiration of the Spirit. There is life in your words. Whatever they may be. I don't always agree with you, but I cannot deny that you love God and walk with Him. And when I read your words the Spirit draws closer to me, and refreshes my weary soul.
I subscribe to the Hinterlands because I am drawn to miracles and romance. Like Whitman's yawp and Dickinson's whispers, you capture in words the hopeful longing we all endure. Grounding your hope in God's being emboldens me.
I second John's STOP overthinking. The ones of us who are here are HERE for you, Andy. This is a brilliant, perfectly timed essay that I feel speaks directly to me. The mark of great writing is that while you are grappling with your own humanity, you touch the souls of others deeply. Thank you for the Substack snake oil/chicken crossing analogies!
God bless you Rachel — your kindness toward me, my project, and my family is like gold to us. We hope to rendezvous someday! Take care
Beautifully put and timely my man. Keep the faith and I deeply hope your mother lives long enough to meet your child.
I think, but not sure, what people are really looking for is worlds beyond their own. Not fake worlds pretending to be real. It’s fascinating to learn how other people live and why. That’s why we read. That’s why we travel. It’s slightly voyeuristic and satisfies a wanderlust in all of us to see the inner workings of say a chef, a writer, a mother, a lawyer, a fashionista, a health professional or even politics if you can believe it. Truth or fiction it’s all about how you turn the tale. We can’t be all of these things or know what all of these people know, so we read. To find out. At least that’s why I read. I could read about anything if it’s written well enough.
Only two paragraphs in. But I must answer your query as to why I pay you. It is simple: you are true to your nature and you realize there is a deep civilizational wound caused and compounded by digital industrialization. Your work and lifestyle are part of a movement to reconnect ppl to their natures. Keep poasting and continue living humanly.
Mail me a newsletter to circumvent the digital egregore.
I'm interested in the perspectives of insightful people based upon real experiences and engagement in the world. Whether I agree fully or not, these voices light my inner fire to a degree that any ivory tower theoretical explanations about life cannot. I've only found your writing here on Substack not that long ago, but I'm glad I did because that is exactly what you very eloquently deliver. Even when not directly writing about adventure or travel, I find your insight based upon them highly valuable. Thank you for that.
I like just what that picture of you on your front porch at the end of the article is all about. The beckoning to have a serious conversation.
I appreciate your musings last year about the canals, the whimsical dreaming of living on a canal boat. The idea of having a waterfall in your backyard. The near-post-apocalypse that your area is experiencing - but we see and feel oncoming glimpses of in our neck of the woods/country as well.
The juxtaposition of bringing a new life into the world while death waits at the door.
Keep writing from your unique perspective.
And I will say in likewise fashion that even just your username is a testament to something good and worth holding onto — every time I see one of your comments or posts, I see the words “Thriving the Future” and remember to seriously weigh and consider what “thriving” could mean in every circumstance I find myself in or heading towards… so thank you!
Many good things are coming up ahead, and I am glad you are with us on the path. God be with you!
I write from early morning Australia in the winter darkness. I just converted from a free reader to a yearly paid one. I write and am the grandmother of five granddaughters and a grandson. You will find with the birth of your first child that the world inside your home opens up into a universe of thought and adventure. There will be much to consider and write about with that moment and beyond. I look forward to reading your and Keturah's considerations. No need to go aroaming. Sending best wishes for a safe journey into the world for your little one.
The nice thing about Substack that you don't get with other platforms is the fact that once you're connected with someone (in other words, once they subscribe), you have a direct relationship with them (their email inbox)--whereas with other platforms, you must always in essence connect via the platform. This fact alone gives Substack a huge boost in longevity despite what slop might make its way onto the platform. The hard part, of course, is making new connections. That, from what I've gathered, just seems to be time multiplied by output multiplied by quality. Either way, keep doing what you're doing--you're very clearly making profound and deep connections and impacts on people. And if we're being totally honest, it is voices like yours that make Substack stand out as a platform. You may not realize it, but if you were to leave, Substack would be a noticeably different place, at least to me.
Excellent point about the email lists; we can download them and keep them for future use, even if Substack were to go under entirely, which is huge. My 41,000-follower audience on X would die if X went under; it would evaporate.
And as for your kind words, thank you Ryan, I have lately been in need of encouragement and I take heart in what you say here. God bless.
Absolutely, my friend. I've been following along--and I hope all is going as well as it can with your family. Just keep swimming, God is with you.
You already have the "one weird trick," and have already shared it.
Authenticity. And Surrender.
("Which came first, the authenticity or the surrender?")
Obviously when you write it takes getting into position (quiet moment at the desk or kitchen table etc.), focus, spilling out thoughts into sentences, simmering the whole mess for a while, rewriting ("there is no good writing, only good rewriting"), excising what is boring for you to reread, so out it goes (see Elmore Leonard's 10th rule of writing). Rinse, repeat.
But none of the procedural steps would matter at all without the authenticity.
What is the weird magic of authenticity? It is acceptance of your life, your experience, your observations, your thoughts and your sentences as real and valuable, and that only happens with a kind of beautiful surrender to the world.
Authenticity, always seeing with new eyes, always seeing with old eyes. Surrender (acceptance), this is the world I am meant to be in, this is the world I am meant to decipher and embrace for as long as the gift of life remains.
What is most remarkable about this recipe (authenticism and surrender) is that everyone, literally everyone, can do it.
It takes nothing, no special gift, no vast education, not even that much discipline to be authentic (just be you), and even less to surrender (just accept the universe as it is).