This conversation starts with a discussion opening of American football season.  From sports, we enter into a conversation around music, touching on the artists we enjoy or who have impacted us.

We close with a discussion about storytelling. We mostly centered around impactful films like The Matrix, Harry Potter, and Star Wars. We talk about what makes characters compelling. Why do we enjoy characters with nuance and flaws more than black and white? 

Ben Kapolnek shares the unfiltered story of his ongoing struggle with anxiety, depression, and trauma. From early childhood, he has tried to paint a picture of his thoughts. Ben's story is emotional, not only because he's one of my closest friends, but for every person like Ben, countless others share in this mental anguish. We hope that as we share more stories like this, we can begin a healing process for more and more people. For those who don't understand what it's like to have an invisible battle in your head. As a way to work this muscle, when you pass someone on the street, please take a moment and reflect on the fact that they are battling something that you know nothing about.