Writing is one of the most natural and comforting things to me and has been since I was in middle school.  Whether I am just writing about something random or I am thinking through or processing events like my brother’s death—it provides solace, free therapy and a comforting process. I would not necessarily consider myself a “good” writer—but the stream-of-consciousness flow I get to have while engaging in it helps me to see my thoughts and the world a bit more clearly.  

I’ve always known writing has helped me to process my thoughts and feelings, but this is never more apparent than in mine and Marshall’s marriage and communication styles.  Marshall is a verbal processor and can talk about something in circles for hours until process and resolution finally emerge.  I am the complete opposite.  If I attempt to verbally process anything it typically comes out in sputtering and stuttering words.  

My mind cannot go fast enough to produce coherent thoughts, much less speak them in intelligible words. And that’s when writing kicks in as a life saver—especially when I am angry or sad.  I can leave a conversation to go write and my thoughts flow as freely as water from a fall. Maybe you’re like that too?  Or perhaps, you’re more like Marshall and like to talk it out.  I have to say, it’s one of my favorite roles as his wife—to sit and listen to the process—and that’s not a sarcastic comment.  

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In this current season of our life and our business there’s so much swirling around in my brain all the time.  Sometimes my thoughts form as if I was writing—it feels rhythmic at times in a way I never expected to experience. And so, I’ve decided to process a bit of life—and all of the twists and turns—through this blog. There are a million reasons I could think of why I should not do this—but I think the reasons are mostly rooted in fear so I am discarding their credit. Plus, I genuinely love to write, so why not have a bit of fun?!

I believe it will also hold me accountable to actually write and to write with confidence—continuing on that vulnerability growth curve. And mostly, I am hoping it allows for lots of interactions with anyone who reads it and resonates – or doesn’t - with my words.  There’s so much to learn and listening to one another’s experiences and perspectives is how I’ve learned most of what I consider valuable in my life.

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So, here’s to writing, here’s to (hopefully) learning new life-hacks from each other, and here’s to the process of living and working out life, love, grace, pain and all that’s in between together. And last but not least, here's to the beautiful flow of stream-of-consciousness: the reason this blog exits.