Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Never trust a mountain to keep a secret
Wednesday, October 01, 2025
From Chaos to Connection
My niece announced on social media that she wrote and published a book. When I read the post, I reacted with quiet jealously. I coiled inside myself like nine-year-old me when my friend stepped onto the school bus wearing the prettiest dress I had ever seen -- clumps of purple grapes and green leaves splashed against an off-white fabric.
I am not proud of those reactions. For now, I will skip over the childhood longings and move on to my niece's exciting, shattering news. Before my readers flail me with a big stick, please know that I congratulated Lori, and that I created my own social media post touting her accomplishment, so my friends could see.
Nevertheless, I felt a twinge of despair, and this is why:
Never trust a mountain to keep a secret
O n the way to a family reunion in North Carolina, I diverted to Colfax to pick up some riders. (By the way, if you are not from Colfax...
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After traveling down some back roads and winding through the hills of Virginia, we began climbing a mountain, leaning into one hairpin...