Third Act Living

My mom passed away after a nine-year journey with Alzheimer's. I had been grieving her for years, even while she was still here. Now I'm learning what it means to miss her in an entirely different way.

Some changes we welcome. Some disappoint us. Some scare us. And some happen so gradually that suddenly, we're looking at something different. This week, a magnolia in the twilight reminded me to slow down, pay attention, and be present for the life happening right now.

This has not been a week of slower living. Not even close. But it has been intentional. Maybe slower living isn't about keeping our calendars empty. Maybe it's about paying attention to what we're filling them with.

After months of reading, planning, and gathering supplies, I finally made my first cold process soap. Here's what surprised me, what I learned, and why the experience became about much more than making soap.

Sometimes progress isn't obvious. A delayed soap-making day became a reminder that some of life's most meaningful work happens quietly beneath the surface. This reflection explores purpose, patience, and the story behind a simple jar of alkanet root infusion that carries the beginning of a dream inspired by my mom.

A visit to a centuries-old monastery in Rome reminded me that simple work done with care never goes out of style. Sometimes inspiration isn't something we find-it follows us home.