I am re-entering my life. Much has happened in the last few years that put me into a slightly shaky progression forward. First, of course, was the overwhelming impediment that we all experienced – COVID. Routine daily living was condensed into a limited range of options that was determined by the potential risks to our health. Ordinary events like how, where, and when to get groceries, do banking, or be with loved ones required complex planning. COVID-induced behaviors lasted for several years. In the span of a lifetime, this was a fairly short amount of time, but it resulted in disaster for many. Returning to relative normalcy didn’t happen all at once. Most of us waited until there was a vaccine before we began re-entry into the larger world. Bit by bit, we tested our comfort level as we tip-toed into the supermarket or got a haircut – with or without a mask. Cautiously, we began to have lunch with friends and dinner with family. In our surroundings, a few remnants of pandemic behaviors are still present like hand sanitizer dispensers in public buildings and pre-visit surveys for medical appointments.

In addition to this global adverse phenomenon, each of us experienced our own person-specific occurrences. Zooming into my own happenings, there were a few significant issues. 

One was that the Newton TAB Aging in Places column that I wrote for almost eleven years disappeared when the print version closed shop in early 2022. I hesitated about continuing my articles online because I thought that many readers may not be comfortable with virtual publishing. I spent the last eighteen months trying to figure out what to do. During that period I had a nagging sense of disconnectedness from long-time devotees. This feeling was reinforced because people kept telling me that they missed my writings. I seemed to have been able to connect with people in a meaningful way. They would say, “You are writing what I’m thinking.” 

Another pretty big incident happened this past February. In the middle of trying to get my fifth book, South Providence Girls: A Clique in Time, ready for publication, I had a totally unpredictable health problem that curtailed some of my familiar and satisfying activities. After months of mending and thinking, I realized I had to make a re-entry plan – to my writing and my connections. My strategy is to use this website to tell you about my latest books, post new and a few old articles, and occasionally share an opinion about something I feel is important to note. 

I will publish on a somewhat regular basis and let you know when there is something new to look at. You can always unsubscribe. 

So, I am re-entering my life path by writing for and connecting with all of you.