Four hummingbird families nested at our desert coach, symbols of joy and hope as we journey back north. Amid trials—from caregiving to lost dog sheets—small acts of kindness and perseverance remind me: aging brings vexing challenges, but also blessings and grace worth cherishing. Traveling mercies indeed.

I finished the first book in my coastal trilogy—hurrah! But “The End” means a new beginning: editing, titling, marketing, and cover design. Perfection isn’t flawlessness but completion. Like a midwife, I celebrate each creative step with satisfaction, not anxiety, embracing joy in the journey toward “done.

In high school, my column blended real and made-up questions, sparking my love for advice writing. Inspired by columns like Dear Abby, I find hope in honest struggles and courage in reaching out. These stories teach, comfort, and remind us—hope springs eternal, guiding us through life’s challenges.

As poet L.R. Knost writes, healing comes not with time but purposeful love. Starting 2024, choose a guiding word—like “intention”—to anchor your story, your life, and navigate change with meaning. What will you do with your one wild and precious life?

After our accident, dancing seemed impossible—until one day, Jerry took my hand, and we found a new way to move together. Awkward but joyful, it reminded me: life is about adjusting, choosing joy despite pain, and letting ourselves be led in the dance—even when the music sounds unfamiliar.

They lost steady jobs. I gained lasting insight. Teaching laid-off aluminum workers in the 1980s, I met veterans who hid their service out of fear it would cost them interviews. That summer, I learned what it truly meant to serve—and how deeply our nation’s gratitude has sometimes faltered.