Looking back and ahead

Twelve years ago, I had moved from a community where I had many acquaintances and cultural activities to a much more rural, isolated place. That’s when I started blogging, purely on a whim — but it quickly became a lifeline for me. This blog and my previous one, The Emerald City Book Review, helped provide the intellectual stimulation to balance out my hands-on daily work of caregiving. And when in my daily life I sometimes felt very alone, I made new friends in the book blogging community, interesting, thoughtful people who understood and shared my passion for reading — some of whom I even got to meet in person.

Blogging accompanied me through some tough times in my life. Though at first I stuck to book reviews, before too many years had passed I started to share more personal topics: trying to understand a disturbing political situation, standing up for my faith, uncovering a binge eating disorder, and my struggles with physical and emotional health. The responsiveness and encouragement I received helped me to communicate better in “real life,” both within myself and in my intimate relationships. And it was through blogging that I started to consider myself a writer, I gained skills and confidence, and eventually became a published author.

I’m in a very different place now than when I began blogging, literally, having moved to Switzerland halfway through the journey. I have more outlets now for my writing, and joined an online community including a feedback group that I find very helpful. Along with continuing to work as a caregiver, I discovered a new calling and trained as a spiritual director. I have also started a Substack focused on reading as a sacred practice, something I would like to build up more.

All this is taking time that once I would have spent on the blog, and I’m feeling pulled in too many directions. So although I don’t intend to close down this space anytime soon, I will be posting less often and less regularly here, and I might be less active in visiting and commenting on other blogs.

However, I want you all to know how thankful I am for this community. I am so grateful for all I have received — it has been a real path of transformation.

If you’d like to be sure to stay connected with me, here are some options:

• Join my newsletter (see form at the bottom of this post). Four times a year, I’ll send news and updates on life, writing, reading, and other inspirations.
• Check out the Sacred Reading Substack, offering a monthly newsletter, along with free online meetings, podcast episodes, seasonal study themes, and more.
• Let’s be friends on Goodreads (where I post selected reviews) and/or on The StoryGraph (where I track all my reading).
• I’m not very active on social media these days, but I do have profiles on Bluesky, Mastodon, and LinkedIn.
• Finally, I hope you’ll have a look at my new website, featuring my book, links to other writing, and my spiritual direction practice.

Thank you so much for being here! It really has meant the world to me, and I wish you strength and courage for this challenging time. Words do make a difference, when we enter into their realm with an open heart and a willingness to learn. Wherever you are in that journey, may it be fruitful.