191. When Desires Don't Quite "Hit"

In this episode, we explore why fulfilled desires so often fail to satisfy. Recorded in September 2025—before the current football season now in the playoffs, the conversation weaves together stories from the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl mindset and Stephen’s long search for a Lazuli Bunting to ask a deeper question: what happens when the thing you want finally arrives and still isn’t enough? Drawing from Christian theology, Buddhism, Daoism, and everyday life, we reflect on desire, attachment, joy, and the difference between pleasure and presence—ultimately suggesting that meaning may be found not in reaching a destination, but in learning how to play, pay attention, and remain open to what comes next. Host Recommendations Stephen: Go birding, The Tao Te Ching as translated by Stephen Mitchell Josh: The Residence on Netflix, Tour De Pharmacy film Emily: Combine two favorite foods into one (spaghetti tacos or pan toast), touch grass, sweaters Join us: Join our free Discord community by emailing us at theravelpod@gmail.com for an invite link! Take a minute to drop us a 5-star rating and a 1-2 sentence review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Credits: Theme Song: In Full Color by Louie Zong on Spotify and Bandcamp Artwork: Yarn and Ravel by Dixie Lee Henning @dixieleedraws Produced by Stephen Henning, Josh Lieuallen, and Emily Rettinghouse Editing/Audio Engineering by Stephen Henning Certified Organic benediction by Reverend Emily Rettinghouse, MDiv ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★