Archive - Matt Conner

To a World We’ll Not Remember…

“To a world we’ll not remember When we’re old and tired…” -Better Oblivion Community Center, “Chesapeake” These days, we make most of our bigger decisions based on memory—actually that of our son. Last year, my wife and I took a four-year-old to Switzerland for two weeks. Two of our closest…

Remembering Eugene Peterson

Eugene Peterson was, for me, a deeply rooted fruit tree against whom you could rest for shade, for support, for sustenance.

All Shall Be Well

I said I needed a quick restroom break. It felt easier than explaining to my friend that I needed to go sit alone—away from him, away from everyone—in my car for a couple hours. At the time, I was being ushered to the opening dinner alongside hundreds of others. Standing…

Dads and Donuts

He looked at my drawing and laughed. I’d given him a headband. “What is that? That doesn’t look like me.” It doesn’t. My son doesn’t even know what a headband is, so I’m sure he’s never sported one. I’d made a stray mark with my colored pencil and decided to…

Suicide hotlines and what I really needed in the moment

Connecting the dots is natural. Every time I see a photo of a newborn celebrating a family’s newest arrival, I can’t help but think of my own experiences waiting and wandering in the hospital anticipating the birth of our son. Every time I hear of someone’s broken relationship with a…