In this deeply personal solo episode of The Idea Of…, Mike hits record with no notes and lets his mind and heart run. What starts as a reflection on being a verbal processor turns into a full exploration of belonging, isolation, and the complicated ways family, fatherhood, and hurt shape how we show up.

Grounded in his lived experience and his research on Black fathers, Mike wrestles with the fear of being “70 and alone,” while admitting he often feels okay being solo in the present. It’s honest, messy, and vulnerable—a mirror for men who are quietly carrying similar questions about love, family, and what it means to belong.