Soft Hearts, Hard Road

Most of us grow up believing life is supposed to get easier as we get older.
But somewhere along the way; usually after enough loss, love, failure, rebuilding, and long drives home in the dark; you realize that’s not quite true.

Life doesn’t get easier.
We get stronger.
And, if we’re paying attention, we get softer too.

This is a place for the people who are trying to do both.

My name is Rick.
I’m a husband, father, builder, thinker, coach, and lifelong observer of human behavior; someone who grew up shaped by folk songs, gravel roads, crossbars on cold soccer mornings, and the quiet kind of philosophy you only learn through real life.

My worldview comes from four voices that built me:

  • Woody Guthrie taught me to stand with the people society forgets.

  • Bob Dylan taught me to see the world behind the world; the masks, the gaps, the negative space.

  • Jason Isbell taught me that being a man isn’t about hardness; it’s about accountability, honesty, and choosing your next step with intention.

  • Jesse Welles reminded me that truth doesn’t need polish; sometimes it needs teeth, humor, or even a little trouble.

Somewhere between those four voices is where I live.

This blog is not about being right or having answers.
It’s about exploring the places where grit meets grace, where vulnerability meets strength, and where the hard roads shape us into the kind of people who can still keep a soft heart.

You’ll find reflections on:

  • fatherhood

  • marriage and love through chaos

  • grief and resilience

  • soccer and community

  • the wild edges of North Idaho

  • music that tells the truth

  • class, conscience, and the quiet revolutions happening around us

  • Eastern and folk philosophy

  • the cast iron skillet lessons of life; the layers of seasoning that make us who we are

You won’t find performative outrage or empty positivity here.
Just one person trying to make sense of the world, stay present with the people I love, and leave behind something a little more honest for my daughters.

If any of this resonates with you. If you’re someone who’s trying to stay soft without falling apart, strong without turning hard, hopeful without being naïve; then you’re in the right place.

Welcome to Soft Hearts, Hard Roads.
Let’s walk awhile.