Aging
The Myth of Being “Done” (and Why I Don't Buy It)
Because life doesn’t come with an expiration date, no matter what society tells you
Shannon Hilson
Writer of essays, reflections, and cultural commentary. Exploring creativity, inner life, and what it means to grow wiser on purpose.
Storytelling
The Loitering God Manifesto
On wasting time with dignity, and why it might be the holiest thing you can do
Life
The Secret Economy of Attention
How the quiet choices of focus shape the architecture of our lives
Spirituality
Facing the Abyss vs. Buying the Mural
A consumer guide to spiritual choices nobody asked for
Blogging
Blogging Isn’t Dead. It Just Stopped Caring About Being Cool.
On choosing permanence over platforms
Movies
Then vs. Now: Growing Older With The Village
Something interesting I've noticed as I get older. Some of the films you really loved at different times don’t necessarily stay the same when you periodically revisit them. Many of them actually grow with you. Or maybe it’s that you grow, and the film remains a
Short Fiction
The Game of Reasons: A Fable
There was once a woman who lived at the outermost edge of a crowded city. She wasn't wealthy. She wasn't particularly powerful, either. But she had something in abundance that was rarer than either of those things – time. And because her time was precious, many came
Movies
The Art of Doing Nothing (With a Little Help from Slacker)
It's really no secret that most of us are taught to fear doing nothing. Idleness is suspicious. Productivity is the religion of the day. So, if you’re not grinding, optimizing, or “getting ahead” every second of every day, then what are you even doing with your life?
Dreams
The Swedish Inn That Doesn’t Exist
Last night I went to Sweden. Not on a plane with my passport in hand, and not with my bank account weeping at the cost of airfare. I just… slipped there. Outside of time and space, while I was sleeping. I stayed in a little inn with a big dining
Short Fiction
The Iron Heart of Heaven: A Parable
The first time it fell, no one noticed. It struck the earth in the night, a streak of fire breaking across the crooked sky. By morning, only a shallow crater marked the spot where it had landed. The farmers who found it thought it was a piece of machinery, an
Creativity
Escaping the Sea of Tears (and Other Lessons in Making Stuff)
This morning is the kind I would bottle if I could. Before Sunrise playing softly in the background, a grocery delivery on its way, a stick of chamomile incense making my office space smell amazing. I’m in that gentle in-between state where the world hasn’t yet demanded anything
Dreams
The Chalk in His Pocket
Conversations With Robin at the Edge of Departure