Purpose vs. Presence
January 11, 2026
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People ask me this sometimes: what does Awakening With Don mean? Why did I choose that name? And yes, I also get teased (in a
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People ask me this sometimes: what does Awakening With Don mean? Why did I choose that name? And yes, I also get teased (in a
A lot of conversations start the same way. “How are you doing?” And a lot of answers sound the same too. “I’m OK.” Prefer to
Prefer to watch instead of read? The video version is embedded at the bottom of this post. You can also jump down here. “Our idea
For a long time, I did not enjoy being alone with myself. I stayed busy. I stayed connected. I stayed surrounded. Not because I loved
There is a particular kind of exhaustion that does not come from doing too much. It comes from pretending too much. If you prefer to
Reflections on presence, lineage, and the hours before As I sit with the final hours before becoming a grandfather for the first time, I find
Most of the discomfort I’ve felt in my life had nothing to do with what happened to me—and everything to do with how I reacted.
In 2004, I stood outside the church I served in Sycamore, Illinois, watching it suddenly erupt in a massive backdraft. One moment I was running
Prefer to watch instead? The video version of this reflection is available below. If you know a bit of my story, you probably know this
Prefer to watch instead? The YouTube link is below. I had the opportunity to spend time at a treatment facility last week, speaking with different
