I need to make a confession. I’ve had this domain for longer than I would like to admit. I delayed its birth as I kept obsessing over what to write and how to start. I am finally starting, but I need to let you know I have no idea where this is going.
Professionally, I am a journalist who spends the work week entrenched in world and national news of the day. Weekly, I slide into my night school role as a graduate student pursuing a masters in English, specializing in literary journalism. The rest of the time I occupy a busybody, crazily (and happily) running between volunteer commitments, family and friends.
However, I am starting to seek and appreciate more quiet moments in life. Those moments of inspiration come when least expected, and the key is listening when they strike. Sometimes I will snap a picture, other times I jot a note down. Sometimes I just take a deep breath and appreciate the what the world has shown me. This blog is meant to be a collection of those moments and thoughts that are guiding my life.
The motivation to start the blog came when I was driving. I used to be terrified of navigating to a new destination. The anxiety overwhelmed me to a point where I often talked myself out of getting behind the wheel. However, when you become a community journalist, you quickly get over it. It’s not an option. Half your day can be spent in a car driving to always changing destinations to produce uncertain results.
In my car, I found freedom, strength and serenity in driving. It became my sanctuary. A place to clear my mind, rock out to music, sing too loudly or cry. As Minnesota drivers know though, the roads become unpredictable in inclement weather. As I drove down the road Sunday, a cloak of fog surrounded me, covering what was familiar and known. I ventured over a bridge I have known since my childhood, but I could not see the end. Yet it struck me as poetry rather than panic. It was a kind reminder that sometimes we have to trust the journey, even when we enter blindly.
I invite you to join me on this journey. So welcome, fellow writers and wafflers. Let us see what unfolds.