My mom loved to read. [Really my whole family has always loved reading. Somehow for a while this penchant skipped me. (But boy do I love it now).] Her favorite author I’d say was Alexander McCall Smith. He has several different series (mostly mystery). But mom was most taken with The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. try as I might, I couldn’t ever really get into them. The style of writing fell a little flat for me. But I tried and tried for it to be another connection point for us. As I was thinking tonight about what this blog would be, I realized I wanted a quote (who’s surprised? No one).

Be content with who you are and where you are, and do whatever you can do to bring to others such contentment, and joy, and understanding that you have managed to find yourself.

If anything encapsulates what the last month or two have been—this quote does. For the first time in forever a long time I am feeling very (almost completely) content. I feel happy and seen and important and knowledgeable and like I have a voice that matters. And it feels really damn good.

If you see me over the course of the next week, I’ll just be soaking up the last few bits of summer. Incredibly in awe of this life I get to live and choose each day.