There’s a great moment near the end of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers that I’ve been pondering recently. The scene is set in Osgiliath, a military outpost on the edge of the noble kingdom of Gondor. Osgiliath is under siege, targeted by dragons that are dive-bombing it from the sky and ripping its rampartsContinue reading “Brokenness, Beauty, and the Ballad of Samwise Gamgee”
Author Archives: jeshuahayden
The War and the Waymaker: Echoes of Easter in 1917
What do World War I and Holy Week have in common? Earlier this week, my dad and brothers and I watched Sam Mendes’ acclaimed war film 1917. It’s an amazing movie. The acting is terrific, the narrative is gripping, and the cinematography is unreal. If you’ve seen the film, then you know what I mean. 1917 was nominated forContinue reading “The War and the Waymaker: Echoes of Easter in 1917”
The World We’re Made For
I can’t stop listening to “Where I’m From,” the new single from one of my favorite bands, Colony House. Here’s why: The song begins with these lines: Where I’m fromIlluminated lanterns glowAnd never flickerWhen storm winds blow The singer, Caleb Chapman, is telling us about his homeland. The first image that he uses to describeContinue reading “The World We’re Made For”
Jesse’s Favorites of 2019
As the new year begins, one of my favorite things to do is look back on the books, movies, and music that were most impactful and thought-provoking for me throughout the past year. I love year-end favorites lists because they encourage thoughtful reflection on art and gratitude for the stories that shape us. In lightContinue reading “Jesse’s Favorites of 2019”
Walking the Way of the Cross: Glimpsing Christ in “A Hidden Life”
“I thought that we could build our nest high up – fly away like birds to the mountains…” These are the first words that we hear in Terrence Malick’s new movie A Hidden Life. Shortly afterwards, we’re plunged into a world of startling beauty – the forested mountain slopes of Austria. Here, in the tiny villageContinue reading “Walking the Way of the Cross: Glimpsing Christ in “A Hidden Life””
Breaking and Entering: Santa Claus and the Perilous Adventure of Christmas
There’s a moment near the beginning of Klaus, a 2019 animated film about the origins of Santa Claus, that I can’t stop thinking about. Here’s the scene: Jesper, a skinny and anxious post officer, is standing in the snow with a package in hand, peering through a foreboding iron gate at an even more foreboding house, andContinue reading “Breaking and Entering: Santa Claus and the Perilous Adventure of Christmas”
The Bittersweet Burden of Leaving and Letting Go
About a month ago, my little brother and I were driving through the hills of western Pennsylvania, watching the fiery colors of autumn flash by the windows. We had just left the home of one of my college roommates and were on our way to visit another roommate in Maryland. To pass the time, myContinue reading “The Bittersweet Burden of Leaving and Letting Go”
“Happy-Sad”: Sing Street and the Magic of Music
It’s 1985 in Dublin, Ireland. For fifteen-year-old Conor Lawlor, life is falling apart at the seams. The country is in the midst of a recession. Unemployment is rampant, prompting many young people to flee across the sea to England in search of work. Conor’s parents are separating, and their constant shouting matches reverberate through theContinue reading ““Happy-Sad”: Sing Street and the Magic of Music”
Stories to Share in the Autumn
Happy First Day of Autumn! Fall brings lots of wonderful stuff with it: leaves changing colors, thunderstorms, Halloween and Thanksgiving, ghost stories, pumpkins and cider and harvest. As a new season begins, here are a few great stories to hunker down with and share with others! Books:Peace like a River by Leif Enger – After committingContinue reading “Stories to Share in the Autumn”
Finding Fellowship
One of my earliest memories is of my dad reading to my brothers and me before bedtime. I remember laying propped up on my elbows, listening as Dad worked his way through old paperback copies of Watership Down and The Fellowship of the Ring. As he read, my head swirled with images of dark forests where strange beastsContinue reading “Finding Fellowship”
