Hi {{ subscriber.firstName | default('Friends') }},

Because 2020. So it’s taken me some time to craft the right words for this newsletter. I’ve recently faced a string of challenges, on top of living in a COVID universe, that have left me a tad unsettled and unmoored. Thankfully, the setbacks are manageable, but when they first presented themselves, I was rocked to the core.

I teach high school girls about facing adversity. I mentor budding writers, steering them through the maze of publishing. I have shared with many of you the importance of finding the silver lining through the darkest of times. I have tried to impress upon those around me that life doesn’t always go the way we want it to. That sometimes rejection, refusal, and hardship are disappointments disguised as bigger lessons, and that each path is unique and not always a straight shoot.

Admittedly, I struggled with my own advice. And I know you, at some time in your life, struggled too. That’s okay. The important thing is taking the time you need to grieve for what was lost, mourn the expectation, and saddle up for another ride. I’m nervous about the uncertainty I face, but I am holding on to that inner voice that whispers, “Keep going. You’ve got this. The discomfort is temporary. You have what it takes to move forward.” If anyone needs these words today, here they are. Adversity stings, but it can also be a blessing in disguise.

Change is all around us. We can live in fear or embrace the possibilities. I hope you’ll join me in facing it head on with courage and a full heart. When life gives you lemons, make that lemonade!

Thanks for being here. 

Despite #because2020, I still believe there is much to be grateful for. Despite hardship and obstacles, COVID, our collective losses, friendships and relationships that have been tested and torn, the loss of freedoms and fun, a divided country, the fear and worries that plague us daily, the uncertainty, I believe that silver linings exist. We just need to look harder, dig deeper. Our tables may be smaller this year, but what’s in our hearts is so much bigger.

This Thanksgiving, I’m grateful for my family and their collective good health. I’m grateful for a career that I’m always passionate about. I am grateful for each and every one of YOU for taking this journey alongside me. There’s a special place in my heart for those friends who propped me up when I fell, reminding me I’m never alone. It’s never been easy for me to take, always easier for me to give. That's why it matters so much to give away these special books, some new, some old, but always my favorites. I hope they give you as much comfort as they have given me.

Please share with me what you're most grateful for this Thanksgiving to be automatically entered to win. US only. One winner chosen Friday, November 27th.

Please excuse any typos. I'm old and blind.