by Rick Ruppenthal

The Timing of Love

An empty chair at the end of a wooden dock facing a शांत lake at sunset, symbolizing reflection, presence, and the quiet expression of love.

We assume there will always be time to say what matters. But life has a way of reminding us otherwise. A reflection on love, loss, and the quiet impact we have on each other, often without ever knowing it. Read More

by Rick Ruppenthal

You Never Left

Person sitting quietly on a dock at sunrise with still water, symbolizing calm, clarity, and returning to natural flow.

We spend so much time trying to get back into flow. But what if we never left in the first place? Read More

by Rick Ruppenthal

Redefining Life: From Noun to Verb

A peaceful Bob Ross–style landscape with an artist painting at an easel, surrounded by soft mountains, trees, and a calm lake, symbolizing life as an unfolding work of art.

What if life isn’t something to fix… but something that’s already in motion?
This piece explores life as an art form, love as the canvas beneath it all, and why holding the brush too tightly might be the only thing getting in the way. Read More

by Rick Ruppenthal

Getting Over Yourself (Does That Mean I Don’t Get to Do What I Want?)

A humorous yet thoughtful illustration of a person stepping over a giant version of their own shadow labeled “self-doubt” or “ego,” walking toward a bright open landscape. The scene has a light, playful tone, slightly whimsical, with soft morning light and a sense of freedom and possibility. Editorial illustration style, warm colours, clean composition, modern blog aesthetic.

Does getting over yourself mean giving up your dreams? Not at all. It simply means we stop believing every dramatic story our thinking tells us and become freer to do what we genuinely want to do. Read More

by Rick Ruppenthal

The Way Things Were Doesn’t Exist Anymore

Man standing outside a restaurant comparing an old menu with the restaurant’s new “Today’s Special,” symbolizing how we often rely on past thinking in a constantly changing present.

We often move through life assuming the present will behave like the past. But every moment arrives fresh and new. Real change doesn’t come from wrestling with yesterday. It comes from seeing something new today. Read More