I am Ashton Cox

an artist, creator, traveler, linguist, foodie, hiker, husband, father, and now very proud grandfather.

I live in the piney woods of East Texas with my beautiful wife—and her poodle, who has definitely become part of the package. I have a teen step-son, two daughters in their twenties and a brand-new granddaughter who has added an entirely new kind of joy to our family.

More than anything, I love life.

I love God. I love being outdoors. I love wooded trails, sunshine, camping, treehouses, rivers, mountains, small towns, new cities, and just about anything that gives me an excuse to explore. Travel has always been a big part of my life, whether I’m wandering through Europe, Central America, Mexico, or simply discovering another interesting corner of the United States.

I’m fascinated by people, places, cultures, and languages. Learning foreign languages has always appealed to the curious side of me—the part that wants to understand a little more of this incredible world and the people who live in it.

Creativity is another huge part of who I am. I create fine-art paintings, but I also enjoy creating books, especially puzzle books centered around two things I love: music and foreign languages. Whether I’m standing in front of a canvas, designing a book, walking a trail, or dreaming up a completely new project, I feel most alive when I’m creating something.

But my appreciation for life became much deeper in 2024.

That year, I went through a devastating near-death experience after an inflammatory infection severely damaged my heart. The prognosis I received was terrifying and was considered terminal.

My faith in God became more important to me than ever.

What followed changed the way I see everything. My condition began moving in a direction that was contrary to what had originally been expected. What was a death sentence began to reverse, and that experience gave me an even greater appreciation for faith, family, health, nature, movement, hard work, joy, and simply waking up to another day.

I don’t take life for granted.

I want the years ahead of me to be about more than simply surviving. I want them to be about living fully, working hard, physical labor, creating boldly, loving people well, exploring this world, and encouraging others to believe that their circumstances do not always have to define their future.

I have become deeply interested in health, wellness, walking, hiking, nutrition, mindset, faith, and the things that help us live with more energy, purpose, and joy.

And above all, I want to share the joy of God and encourage people to believe that there can be possibilities beyond what we can see in the natural.

I’m still learning. Still creating. Still traveling. Still walking. Still dreaming.

And I’m incredibly grateful to God for everything in this life.

Life is a gift. I intend to enjoy it, explore it, create through it, and hopefully make someone else’s journey a little better along the way.

All my love,