Welcome! It’s that time of year again – the time when we get to look back on the past year and reflect on which parts of it were most meaningful to us. One of my favorite ways to do this is by listing the five music albums, five books, and five movies that were mostContinue reading “Jesse’s Favorites of 2021”
Author Archives: jeshuahayden
Joy in the Journey: Chasing Sehnsucht in Zhao’s “Nomadland”
“Home, is it just a word? Or is it something you carry within you?” In the opening minutes of Chloe Zhao’s film Nomadland, we see these words inked on the arm of an Amazon employee named Angela, who is showing off tattoos to her new friend, Fern. It’s a quick scene that may not seemContinue reading “Joy in the Journey: Chasing Sehnsucht in Zhao’s “Nomadland””
The Music of the Mundane
It was almost the best day of his life. Joe Gardner, a resident of New York City, had spent most of his years teaching jazz band classes for middle-schoolers. The work had its own peculiar charm. Sure, the racket cooked up by distracted brains, untrained ears, and clumsy fingers could be grating. But there were momentsContinue reading “The Music of the Mundane”
Jesse’s Favorites of 2020
Hello there! Well, it’s time for my favorite year-end activity: the annual favorites list! In many ways, 2020 was an incredibly tough year for art and artists. On the other hand, I found that quarantine provided lots of downtime to make art, explore new art, and catch up on great art that I’d missed inContinue reading “Jesse’s Favorites of 2020”
The Greatest Joke Ever Told
If you asked any of my family members to describe my grandfather, it wouldn’t take long for them to mention his laugh. As an author and former preacher, Grandpa Hayden had lots of opportunities to practice the art of storytelling. As an instigator of shenanigans in his younger years, he also had lots of fuelContinue reading “The Greatest Joke Ever Told”
Dreaming in the Depths: Ella Mine and the Problem of Overwhelming Suffering
Have you ever been blindsided by something that left you feeling completely helpless? On a windy afternoon in the autumn of 2017, I was caught off guard by a huge wave while bodysurfing in the Indian Ocean. I’d been catching waves with a friend for a long time that day and was having a blast.Continue reading “Dreaming in the Depths: Ella Mine and the Problem of Overwhelming Suffering”
Fireworks (An Autumn Prayer)
The street is slick with rain as I make my way through the neighborhood past shuttered windows and closed doors. I’m headed to the place where the road bends for a visit. It’s been a while since we talked. Leaves skid dryly across the road to my right like rustling stalks of corn, like a letter as it’s opened. I watch themContinue reading “Fireworks (An Autumn Prayer)”
August, Adam Duritz, and the Art of Rejoicing in the Rain
At some point during my college years, I started going for long walks in the rain. While this practice may sound strange to you, it wasn’t that unusual as far as I was concerned. I’d loved rainfall for as long as I could remember. Everything about it was magical to me – the pattering ofContinue reading “August, Adam Duritz, and the Art of Rejoicing in the Rain”
Emmaus
I read some poetry todayby a man who talked about the earthlike an old friend.It was just a neat ideauntil I stepped onto the deckand heard in the creaking of wooden boardsthe tones of a voice I recognized,until I felt in the windthat welcome breath of soil after rain,until I saw in the patchwork quiltContinue reading “Emmaus”
The Celts, the Coronavirus, and the Kingdom of God
With all the news and chaos surrounding the recent spread of the Coronavirus, you may have forgotten that today is St. Patrick’s day. I sure haven’t. March 17 is an opportunity for the people of the Emerald Isle to celebrate their history and cultural heritage. It’s also an opportunity for those of us who wishContinue reading “The Celts, the Coronavirus, and the Kingdom of God”
