Aaron became a good friend of mine when we crossed paths in Rome at the North American College for two years. I've always valued his insight and his insistence on optimism and hope. We discuss how he fosters these virtues and the sources he turns to in difficult times.

Far from being simply a physical health benefit, Lorenzo enters deep into the reality that his practice of cold showers and ice baths bring him into a place of prayer. Most people have heard about the various trends in self betterment that exist, but Lorenzo is adamant that this is much more important than simply "choosing to do something hard". We talk about the death-to-self component of Baptism, the significance of cultivating personalized space for prayer, and the difficult task of mastering and having control over our innate drive for self-preservation.

I've heard before that the two most difficult disciplines to study at the collegiate level are physics and math, and my sister happens to be doing the latter. The opposite of utilitarian and pragmatic, Amanda is truly passionate about the field itself and has placed herself in a position to research what she is interested in while sacrificing roles with attractive salaries and choosing to be a lifelong student. I learned a lot talking with her in this format, understanding better her process of discernment and coming to an understanding of what she wants to pursue.