1. Was anyone more alone? Charisse Compton reflects, “I am hardly alone in my loneliness. About one in four adults across the world suffers from a similar hunger. Bankrupt of any long-term solutions, the world suggests increased human interactions to alleviate the suffering. But for all our digital connectedness, the loneliness epidemic persists and grows.”

2. When I have intrusive thoughts: This is a subject I’ve done a lot of thinking about as well. Lara D’Entremont offers solid counsel, “Through therapy, I learned that fighting against intrusive thoughts is like trying to stop water from gushing out of your faucet with your hands—it will continue to burst through, perhaps even explosively.”

3. The Lord’s lessons in our failures: Mike Cosper reflects on two times Peter jumped out of a boat and considers the difference between the two occasions, “Whether intentional or not, I love the image of Peter diving into the water. He’s still audacious, but he’s not grandiose. He does not attempt to run across the water or make a leap of faith or stand proudly at the bow. He knows he is a mere swimmer. He dives into the water with the unrestrained joy of a child. He just wants to be with Jesus.”

4. Why do bees have queens? Two biologists explain bees social structures and why most bees don’t have a queen at all. “But most bees don’t have queens. With about 20,000 species of bees worldwide – that’s about 2 trillion bees – the majority of them don’t even live in groups. They do just fine without queens or colonies.”

5. Egymological map of the US: The literal translations of states and their capitals. I live in Place of the Small Spring and our capital is New Town Springing from the Ruins of a Former Civilization. How about you?

Photo by leandro fregoni on Unsplash