Every moment has meaning—you’ll often see that sentiment in my writing. I grew up believing the meaning in my life was something I could learn in eternity (if then) but not something I could understand here and now. Meaning in earthly moments was reserved for significant people, like Moses or the Virgin Mary. There was one exception—I could always see the path and purpose of my life through my ability to uphold God’s moral laws. 

Then, just when I reached the limits of my ability to uphold those laws, I had some deeply spiritual experiences on the trail near my house. I processed them through writing and discovered how to write to find my meaning. I left organized religion to find my own way, following my heart to the connections to myself, others, and the world around me. The tool that helped me most was writing. 

Today, I’m an Everyday Mystic, finding divine connections everywhere in my surroundings. I’m a Word Apothecary, writing to heal myself and others with language that honors and highlights those connections.

I live in Alaska with my boyfriend, Sean, and my dog, Orion. My home is on the trails of the Chugach Mountain foothills with the rest of my family: the streams, the trees, the ferns, the lichen, the creeping dogwood, the cranberries. I’m grateful to the Dena’ina people for their ongoing spiritual stewardship of the land I love.

Photo Credit: Amanda Kolstedt