Blessed to Be Lost in the Woods

What I Learned at Gunpoint in the Somali Desert

The first gun was leveled at us as soon as we crossed the border. It was 1986, and although the country was yet to be declared a failed state, Somalia was no backpackers’ paradise. So much of our lives depends on choices of character, faith, and tradition made by people who happen to be nearby when we need them. This story tells what I learned about death, specifically my own. Become a subscriber! Sign up for a free or paid subscription to [https://bethriunguwrites.substack.com]Whole Stories Shortly [https://bethriunguwrites.substack.com] for a weekly story that’s short enough to fit your schedule —and long enough for you to escape. Not ready to upgrade your subscription to paid? Show your appreciation for my work with a one-time ‘Tip of the Hat’ gift [https://buy.stripe.com/dR6eYW62Ih2XdrO288] — Thank You! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bethriunguwrites.substack.com [https://bethriunguwrites.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Transition and Disruption at Winter Solstice

It’s the winter solstice and I’m high on Scottish moors, transfixed by the ever-changing light on this stormy day. It’s the weather of alerts and advisories, the season for unsettled conditions and wide-ranging disruption. This story includes a poem called For Light, by John O’Donohue. You can find it in his collected works, To Bless the Space Between Us [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/123427/to-bless-the-space-between-us-by-john-odonohue/]. Become a Whoole Stories Shortly subscriber and show your support! Or show your appreciation for my work with a one-time ‘Tip of the Hat’ gift [https://buy.stripe.com/dR6eYW62Ih2XdrO288] Thank You! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bethriunguwrites.substack.com [https://bethriunguwrites.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Advent Calendar of Aging

Subscribe to Whole Stories Shortly for reads that are short and substantive, uncommon yet relatable—a reliable escape from the daily grind. (Unless the grind is for your coffee. The stories here are perfect for a beverage break.) This story begins with a picture I took at a Copenhagen art gallery last week. The fire alarm had gone off, and the Sunday crowd had evacuated in a rush leaving the white cupboard doors of the locker room randomly ajar. The numbers on the doors, the keys in the locks made me think about the years I've lived through, and those still to come. The story references my post The Genius of Bold Beginnings [https://bethriunguwrites.substack.com/p/the-genius-of-bold-beginnings], so click the link to check that out. And while you're there -- sign up to become a free or paid subscriber so you don’t miss out future stories! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bethriunguwrites.substack.com [https://bethriunguwrites.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Living History in My Favorite Graveyard

Dear Listener: This story has many photos so be sure to check it out at WholeStories Shortly on Substack! Subscribe while you're there! I’m back in Copenhagen, a city of varied and famous walking opportunities. One of my favorites is a hidden gem close to where I stay when I’m here. Enjoying Whole Stories Shortly? Become a subscriber and show your support! A weekly story that’s short enough to fit your schedule — yet long enough for you to escape. Become a paid or free subscriber today and never miss a story! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bethriunguwrites.substack.com [https://bethriunguwrites.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Blessed to Be Lost in the Woods

I haven’t been able to write for the past couple of weeks. There has been an explosion, and I find myself in a landscape that makes no sense, surrounded by fragments that feel familiar yet I can’t see how to fit them back together. I seem to have lost access to my words. IEnjoying Whole Stories Shortly? Visit Whole Stories Shortly [https://bethriunguwrites.substack.com] and become a subscriber to show your support! Receive a weekly story that’s short enough to fit your schedule — yet long enough for you to escape. Become a paid or free subscriber today and never miss a story! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bethriunguwrites.substack.com [https://bethriunguwrites.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]