Once upon a time, I went the wrong way exiting a Paris metro station. It took me more than twice as long to reach my destination as it should have, but in the process, I accidentally came up with what would become my mantra:
Sure, it might take you longer to get where you’re going than you thought it would, it might not be the route you wanted to take, and the ultimate destination may be different from what it was when you started the journey, but there’s always a way from “here” to “there.”
Many years later, when I was spending months at a time in Italy, the country’s notoriously confusing bureaucracy helped me to embrace an Italian word I love so dearly I have it tattooed on my forearm: andiamo.
It means, “let’s go” or “we’re going,” and pairing it with “there’s no such thing as lost” is often just the nudge I need to do the thing—whatever the thing is.
If we started talking at a cocktail party, here’s what you’d find out about me.
I’m a freelance writer and editor, an obsessive knitter, a cat lady, a snack distributor for the opossums who come to my back porch, a travel lover, a firm believer in the power of community, and a family care partner for my mom.
You might learn that I grew up on a horse farm in Newtown, Connecticut. You might hear that I used to be the lead singer in a rock band, or that I love watching soccer, or that I once knitted the Santa hats for a big-budget Christmas movie. You might ask what kind of writing I do, and I’d pull back the curtain to reveal the decidedly unglamorous world of copywriting.
I am not shy, so you’d quickly get a sense of what I’m passionate about, including how vital it is that people actually talk to one another. It might be called “networking” in some circles, but to me it’s just building community.
Now, you.
- Are you a crafter? I’d love to hear about what you’re making. Let’s connect.
- Do you work with or hire contract writers/editors? Let’s chat about how your needs and my skills overlap. What can I help you put into words?
- Are you a family care partner? I see you, and I’m here for you.
Being human can be kind of overwhelming, especially these days, and I think community is really the only way we’re all going to get through. It’s why I’m here, why I love connecting with people, and why I believe that there’s always a way to get where we need to go from where we are.
There’s no such thing as lost, so andiamo.