Lately, it feels like everything in my life has its own aging process. Some things are ready to pour out right now, while others still need a little more time in the wood.
The blog, for instance, has become a real rhythm for me. Keeping the spiritual reflections flowing, crafting a new daily question, and pouring out three bourbon posts every week takes more consistency than I expected—but it’s also been deeply rewarding. The discipline itself has become part of the story. Every now and then, I’ll throw in something unexpected—like my plea to Dr Pepper to bring back the Creamy Coconut Zero, or my reflection on The Perfect Neighbor on Netflix—but they all tie back to the same impulse: to make sense of life one pour, one post at a time.
In the classroom, I’m always tinkering at the workbench—refining lessons, grading essays, rearranging the board, trying to build something that lasts longer than the bell schedule. It’s creative work too, just with different tools.
And then there’s the novel, sitting patiently on the back shelf like a barrel that hasn’t quite reached its peak. Tumbleweeds still calls to me. I know there’s something special there—maybe I’m biased, but I believe in that story. It just needs some careful editing and the right guidance to get it ready for the wider world.
So yes, I’ve been working—but most of what I’m doing isn’t about finishing things. It’s about tending them, trusting the process, and believing that what’s aging quietly in the barrel will one day be worth the pour.
Copyright © 2025 Doug DeBolt.
Probably like many others…