Writer. Bridge Builder. Reluctant Apprentice to Paradox.

Life is beautiful and life is heartbreaking. Even if you eat your broccoli, use sunscreen and wear your seatbelt. And no matter how fervently you plan or pray, things often do not go as we might hope. Four years ago, as a mother to an infant and a toddler, I (a non-smoking triathlete with zero risk factors) had a heart attack and nearly died. This experience has forced me to renegotiate my relationship with my body and undermined my ability to take certain things for granted. It also required me to grapple with the platitudes and quick explanations that people often offer when confronted with pain or difficulty.

I have practiced standing in places of relentless uncertainty for a long time, places where multiple things are true at the same time. I refuse to accept simple explanations for complicated situations. But I also refuse to give in to cynicism and despair. My hope and my joy are hard-won and stubborn. This is the perspective that I bring to my writing, coaching and facilitation work. Not pretending the difficulty isn’t there, but also not letting it have the last word. Embracing both grief and joy. Seeking possibilities. Not necessarily resolving ambiguity or finding consensus but faithfully, courageously finding the next step forward.