Author: Alex Larsen

Human nature begs for community. We crave connections—friends to claim as ours, groups to which we belong. Our reasons could run like a ticker tape: Shared glory New access Social acclaim Financial benefit And perhaps the most simplistic reason—we hate to feel alone. Strategic connections aside, we hang tenets of our identities on our connections. … Continue reading …shared lies →

In the wake of yet another school shooting, myriad news sources will continue to talk about the loss of "innocent" lives. To be so clear - those children, those teachers, did not deserve to die. They did not invite brutal violence; no one dared them to pack their lunches for the last time. To the … Continue reading …so-called innocents →

I never believed in love at first sight. (Sure, when I first saw my wife I thought she was cute. That's not love, that's common sense.) Really, I applied my skepticism to everything - pizzas, experiences, girls. I definitely believed in "appreciate at first sight," because I absolutely saw some pizzas and thought, "Man, that … Continue reading …love at first sight →

About a year ago, I started this blog post - or at least I saved the first draft of this post. It took several trips back to the computer to piece together what I felt like saying. I couldn't invent the feeling of heaviness; the words needed to happen in the moment, and the moments … Continue reading …having it all together →

Y'all ready for this? We're having a baby. It's crazy to actually write out those words. It feels like I've kept this secret forever, and releasing it is both the relief I wanted it to be mixed with a lingering realization of the loss of a secret so precious. For months, the news of our … Continue reading …becoming a dad →

Last weekend, we made a bigger move. Before we left Minnesota, I described moving across the country as "a big move." Since we live in Texas now, I guess I should call it "a bigger move," because everything's bigger in Texas. It's not totally true, though. Our apartment is smaller, so we have a teetering … Continue reading …the bigger move →

With rosy cheeks we sing "It's the most wonderful time of the year." We rush from school to pageant practice to the store to grab one more box of hot chocolate. With chestnuts roasting on an open fire, we wrap the umpteenth gift before greeting the carolers outside our door. Our bags get packed or guest … Continue reading …the most wonderful time of the year? →

We inhabit a country driven by the bottom line. When the sun sets, success is measured by profit margins, not popularity. If the bank account is growing, all moves are safe - and at the right price, all press really is good press. Nike proved it (again). By releasing the 30th anniversary "Just Do It" … Continue reading …business decisions →

If nothing else, a new year motivates people to figure out who we want to be. The pen scrawls across the paper, listing all the ways we want to improve ourselves. We call them “Resolutions” to remind ourselves how firmly we are committing to pursuing more in the new year. It’s easy to come up … Continue reading …the new year, the same you →