Somewhere along the trail of growing up, many of us learned how to say, I’m sorry. We learned the words. We learned the posture. We learned how to look down at our shoes, mumble through the moment, and wait for […]
Mental Health
We were driving home from an unsuccessful shopping trip, my daughter and I, carrying the small disappointment of an errand that did not give us what we hoped it would. It was one of those ordinary moments that somehow becomes […]
The Lesson Hidden in the Pack Today was one of those days that felt like it had been hiding a lesson in its pack the whole time. I took Ben, Ella, and Ben’s friend Tyler hiking just outside of Harpers […]
There is a kind of person who stops on the trail after conflict and looks back. Not because they are weak. Not because they are guilty of everything. Not because they enjoy pain. But because something in them wants to […]
There is a trail most of us are taught to respect: the marked one. The one with blazes painted on trees. The one with mileage signs, switchbacks, elevation gain, and a known destination. The one that tells us where we […]
A father and teacher’s reflection on lockdown, trauma, and helping children heal Some moments divide life into two worlds: the side of the door where fear first arrives, and the other side where healing must begin. April 30, 2026 began […]
Some days, when someone tells me they want me to be happy, I have to pause. Not because I don’t appreciate the sentiment, but because the word doesn’t quite fit the terrain I’m walking. Happiness feels like a summit word.Joy, […]
Some stories don’t stay where you leave them. They don’t fade when the chapter ends or quiet down when the trail curves away from the past. They linger; like fog in a low valley, like footsteps you swear you hear […]
Several years ago, I wrote my eulogy. Not because I was morbid.Not because I was giving up.But because I wanted a compass. I wasn’t trying to predict how my life would turn out. I was trying to decide (before the […]
A Different Kind of New Year’s Resolution Every January, the trailheads fill up. Gym parking lots overflow. New shoes hit the pavement. Promises are made under fluorescent lights and hopeful headlines: This is the year. Lose weight.Get disciplined.Become better. But […]
Page 1 of 3
About Me
![](https://joshschlotterbeck.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/hi_res_logo_black.png")