So I'm leaving my introverted space and I'm reengaging the world and the first thing that comes up is, "How should I be engaging my social scene?" I really dislike social obligation. You know, those conversations where you talk about the weather because it would be rude not to talk but you don't think you want …
Author: Ryan Shelton
While my job description is to lead the science department and teach physics at Padua Academy in Wilmington, DE, my calling is to prepare teenagers to lead their communities towards a vibrant and healthy future. This purpose has lead to the creation of Loving Lives Delaware.
Before becoming a teacher, I explored many careers and had many adventures in search of the best way to make a difference in the world. I hiked over 1700 miles, traveled to 5 continents, managed a bakery, started a meditation center, counseled troubled teens, attended Duke, UNC, and Harvard, protected forests as a wildland firefighter, volunteered thousands of hours with Americorps, rafted the Grand Canyon, and SCUBA dived on the Great Barrier Reef.
My next adventure is starting a family with my beautiful wife in our Wilmington home. I'm sure there will be many mistakes along the way, but I hope we're able to create a loving household that's a beacon of support and clarity for others in our community. Thank you for all of your support throughout our journey.
Pride In My Work
Ever since I started graduate school I've been trying to run away from it. I keep telling myself, "I want to serve people. I don't want to be paid by the military. My research isn't going to matter to anyone. I'm just buying time until I find a better path. I'm just here because as …
Convenient Food
What a privilege it is to live in a time and place where I don't need to grow or cook my own food. Even as a poor graduate student I can purchase cheap take-out or microwaveable food. I'm still amazed that I can buy a $5 sandwich with meat from three different animals. We have …
Am I Strong Enough?
After clearing my plate of intertwined and complicated decisions my life has started to settle allowing my mind to settle. I feel solid about where I am, the decisions I've made, and the direction I'm heading when suddenly, a whole new set of obstacles are starting to become clear. I'm reminded of just how long …
Connection
Connecting with people is what life is all about. It's so hard to explain what that connection feels like, how it is built, and why we care so much about it. If we're not careful that connection can turn into an attachment and cause us a lot of pain when it's lost. What I want …
The Mirror
Every time I want the world to change, a person to act differently, or to make a greater impact, this mirror keeps showing me my reflection. The mirror is telling me to look inside. I keep wanting to impact all of these things I have no control over. I keep believing I can change things …
Can Anything Be Service?
I'm one of those people who was trying to help people. I wondered things like: is this really helping? Am I doing this just because it makes me look good? Do these people want my help? What are we trying to help these people do? Am I just trying to make them more like me? …
Faith
What a strange word. One definition from dictionary.com is, "a belief that is not based on proof." This made no sense to me when I was younger. Why would anyone believe in something that can't be proven? Can't we just accept that we don't know everything there is to know? Why do people need to …
Spreading My Wings
I've been here before. Everything seems good; life is settling down. My meditations don't have painful gross sensations, but I can't really feel the subtle sensations either. I know it will just take a few days for my mind to settle. I know a new set of challenges awaits me at a deeper level of …
The Role Of Money
We blame these little pieces of paper for so much. Does it deserve the blame? Money doesn't have a brain, malicious intent, greed, or even a plan. It's just paper. Problems only start to occur when people enter the scene so I don't think we can blame the paper. Money is also a necessary as …
Living Vipassana 