On my way to Kingman, a field mouse and a Starbucks barista reminded me of something I'd almost forgotten.

For years, as a hospice chaplain, I had a front-row seat to some of life's most honest conversations. A reflection on why people feel the need to explain themselves—and the invisible courtroom many of us carry inside.

For years I believed becoming too human might cost me something spiritual. Life has been testing that belief.

Observations, questions, and realizations that show up somewhere between hospice visits, mountain bike rides, difficult conversations, and 2:00 a.m. thoughts.