All The Energy in the World for Nothing At All

All The Energy in the World for Nothing At All

From Walk Around by Hudson Gardner

February 27, 2026 · 9 min

About this episode

Hudson Gardner reflects on his life changes and the constant thread of self amidst external shifts.

I am sitting on the floor, at a pine coffee table I bought from IKEA a few months back. Simmering on the stove is a blend of herbs I formulated for the challenges of my current stage of life. In the oven is a piece of salmon caught in a distant ocean. I am typing on a laptop that is essentially a magic rock, made of elements (Aluminum, Copper, Gold, Selenium, Silicon, rare earth metals) from supernovæ that somehow made their way to earth over inexplicable time. Its quiet in this room, in this condo in a building in downtown. It feels, in some ways, like a library. As possessions go, I could fit everything I own in here in my van and drive away, with plenty of room for a passenger. But I own more things than I have in ten years. I am living a life I never could have imagined. And yet, amidst all the change, life always feels about the same. I guess because it is me that is living it. There is a strange thread that continues, day after day after day, and that thread I suppose I call myself. Resilient through changes and losses and gainses (sic), it continues while all else falls away. Until, I suppose, it doesn’t. But I don’t know what that feels like, and can only guess at the…

People in this episode

Host: Hudson Gardner

Topics covered

  • personal reflection
  • life changes
  • existential thoughts
  • energy shifts
  • self-identity

Keywords

  • life changes
  • self-identity
  • energy shifts
  • personal reflection
  • existential thoughts

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: IKEA

Places: downtown

More episodes of Walk Around

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Walk Around podcast page.