I believe a lot of things, probably many of the same things you do. I believe in honesty, forgiveness, peaceful co-existence, a bit of charity. I have political beliefs, which are not germane to our relationship.

But those aren’t necessarily the beliefs that are important to my writing. What do I feel so strongly that I write about it, perhaps without realizing it? If a reader had to guess any of my philosophies, could they find evidence in my work?

I looked to my current and upcoming projects for clues.

  • All but the very worst people can be redeemed. They won’t be, but they could be.
  • Showing up is half the battle, but understanding when and where to show up is more important.
  • Everyone has a reason for what they do. The reason almost always involves something that hurt them.
  • Life is better when you belong to a family or community, but it is misery when you are trapped in the wrong one.
  • People don’t always learn from their mistakes. Sometimes, the best a person can do is make different mistakes.
  • Life is best lived through a strong moral code. People without a code lack direction and tend to drift. People who violate their code eventually become miserable. People with an immoral code usually do alright.
  • Knowing yourself can take a lifetime, but the journey inward is worth it. Most people don’t take it.
  • You need grit to be yourself in a world that wants you to be anything but.
  • It is important to have faith, and your strongest faith should be in yourself.
  • When all else fails, double down.