Randy Elrod's Blog, page 7

Freedom

Personal Freedom: Definitions, Dimensions, and Dilemmas Personal freedom is one of humanity’s most cherished and contested values. From ancient philosophical debates to modern political movements, the concept of freedom has inspired revolutions, shaped constitutions, and defined individual lives. Yet this seemingly straightforward ideal—to be free—reveals layers of complexity when examined closely. What constitutes true freedom?...

Communion

Communion with Others: The Art and Importance of Human Intimacy In its most fundamental sense, communion describes a profound state of shared understanding and connection between people. This deep intimacy—physical, intellectual, emotional, and sometimes spiritual—represents one of humanity’s most vital needs and greatest challenges. When we achieve genuine communion with others, we transcend the boundaries...

Curiosity

The Power of Curiosity: Humanity’s Greatest Driving Force Curiosity, that instinctive desire to know and understand, has been the silent engine behind humanity’s most outstanding achievements. From the first human who wondered what lay beyond the horizon to modern scientists probing the depths of quantum reality, curiosity has propelled us forward as a species. It...

Sensuality

The Art of Sensuality: Engaging the Full Spectrum of Human Experience At its essence, sensuality is the art of experiencing life through our senses. It represents a heightened awareness of the physical world and our body’s interaction with it. Far more than merely sexual, sensuality encompasses the full spectrum of sensory experiences that make us...

The Four Most Important Words In Life

These four words determine our capacity for enjoyment. They provide meaning in life. And they have the power to quieten the confused noise within. These four words paint a stunning panorama of one’s most passionately held beliefs and ideas. They comprise all the affections, the thoughts, the joy, and the faith of a lifetime. They...

Drinkin’ the Koolaid

Original Pen and Watercolor on Art Paper March 2025 — 45.5 x 61 cm

We Are Becoming Spaniards

It really hit us when we had American guests this past year. Afterward, Gina and I commented that we felt different. It was intangible then. But as I pondered it, a few thoughts began to form. The Spanish lifestyle is so radically different that after a year-and-a-half of immersion, it can’t help but affect us. ...

Saturday–AI (Artificial Intelligence) Changed My World Forever

Five times in my life, technology changed my life forever. I call them “cracks in time.” The first time I heard the silky sound of a cassette after a lifetime of scratched LPs (1966), the first time I listened to the digital sonority of a Compact Disc (1978), the first time I heard the weird...

Unholy Yearnings

My tender and urgent longings as a sensual adolescent soon clashed with the harsh reality of a prudish religious upbringing. And for over forty years, I suppressed my gnawing hungers, my incessant desires, and my carnal fantasies.  But a single touch of a friend sent courses of electricity through my being and cast a hot...

An Easier Way To Be

For the past two decades, I have been learning that it’s all right not to do everything people expect of you. This idea has been positively liberating for me. The way we were raised—the way our institutions raised us, I mean—trained us to think it’s our job to be correct in everything we do. Others’...