February 2026

A reflection on what happened when my plan ran out—or so I thought.

My life thus far followed a predictable path. I always knew what was next: grade school, high school, bachelor’s degree, career, retirement. Check, check, check, check, and check. Now what?

For the first time in my life, my next step wasn’t obvious. I jumped into relaxing, resetting, and rejuvenating with no real plan. I stayed connected to the people and things I love: family, friends, exercise, the outdoors, travel, dogs, and wine. Don’t forget the wine!

Some months after retiring, my dad got sick. During the last few months of my dad’s illness, I started having trouble sleeping. Then something incredible happened. Three nights in a row, in the early hours after midnight, I wrote a children’s story in the notepad on my phone. It wasn’t planned, it wasn’t expected, it just happened.

Ironically, the story of a stray dog lost in this world then unexpectedly finding where he belongs parallels what I was also experiencing: feeling lost, wondering what’s next, and finding renewed purpose, acceptance, and joy in writing thoughtful, heartfelt children’s stories grounded in the love of a loyal Labrador retriever.

Is that coincidence or is it fate? There’s a case to be made for both, I suppose, but I’m leaning toward the latter. I didn’t know what my next step was, but clearly it was planned all along. 🙏