Diving into a new journey

February 15, 2018, I began sharing this blog during the 40 days of Lent. Each year I would set up my computer on Ash Wednesday and write a story about my day. I did this every day, for forty days until Easter Sunday.

For five years.

Then, forty days would pass and…I stopped writing.

Subsequently, I would fill the other 325 days listening to podcasts like Hidden Brain which taught me about unconscious patterns of thinking and relationships or Ask Lisa Damour whose parenting podcast reminds me I am not the only mom that takes forgotten homework to school or says the wrong thing to their teenager daily. And I read and reread books like Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, which remind me to tell my story…

“Write straight into the emotional center of things. Write toward vulnerability. Risk being unliked.”  – Anne Lamott

In fact, I’ve always had a passion for writing. At nine, I filled the lines of my diary with trips to Disney and life-changing walks home from school. In middle and high school, I packed numerous pages with poems. During and after college, I chronicled my travels to placid beaches in Mexico and being witness to newborns in India gently held over the smoke of hot coals to promote circulation. Additionally, 21 years ago, when the pink line on the little white stick silently announced motherhood was on deck in my life, I slid my mouse over the word “File”, clicked “New Document”, and 20 years later I pore over hundreds of records of family life — the wild and the wicked.

When the idea of blogging was planted in my head, I loved the thought, but as I typed my stories, the mere inclination of becoming transparent with the world (or my three followers- thanks to mom, dad, and hubby), fear, and apprehension enveloped me.  I asked myself and continue to ask: Why should I share my thoughts? What if I offend or hurt someone inadvertently? Who would want to hear what I have to say? Frankly, I can be a little snarky.  Uh oh, people will hate me!

Putting yourself “out there” is scary. It’s unsettling. It’s a risk…and somehow, concurrently, it is transforming, cathartic, beautiful, and emancipating.

This leads me to right now and a new goal.

Every Sunday morning I will post my stories right here and include links to interesting people or podcasts which I am hopeful will enlighten and entertain you.

I would love for you to join me on this journey through Lent and beyond.

Please send any comments below and thank all of you for subscribing and sticking with me over the years.