The Gift

Flying over clouds on my way to Houston.

I love writing my newsletter posts. Each newsletter post requires me to focus on something, think about it for a few days and then write what comes to me, which is almost always a surprise. I read everyone one of them out loud to my partner before I finalize and send. She tells me if I am off or if something doesn’t sound right. She is a guidepost for me.

For the last few weeks I have been trying to find words to write. Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, was fired. Shira Perlmutter, register of copyrights and director of the copyrights office, was fired. And of course this hateful budget. I believe we can each do our part; writing and calling our congress people again and again, talking to our neighbors to strengthen our communities, staying informed and holding space.

My goal is always to elevate lost, hidden and forgotten histories. I have browser tabs open with different online resources that I want to share and reshare in my newsletter and on LinkedIn. I want to continue to talk about my book and how we think about the past and how it impacts the present.

My mother, Mary Margaret, and me in September of 2024.

However life gets in the way. My mother had a benign brain tumor removed 4 years ago and it came back. She had brain surgery again on May 1st and I am now in Houston with her during her recovery. She will be just fine. My mother is a force of nature. I like to say that her 80s are like most people’s 60s and her 60s were like most people’s 40s. She is a visual artist and a writer and a community organizer and fundraiser, so not losing her “wits” is the gift of where this tumor grew and grew back.

I am working on not feeling like I am falling behind with my book promotion, edits to my next book and this newsletter. I am working on staying present with my mom and leaning into this experience. This time is a gift.