Notes on life, philosophy, and medicine

Essentials for a Thriving Community Reliable, accessible transportation Safe walking and biking paths Affordable housing for the lowest-income residents Access to fresh water and nutritious food through sustainable means—hunting, fishing, community resources A strong sense of community and purpose Opportunities for meaningful work, trade, and skill-building Faith and hope-centered spaces Interdisciplinary collaboration and respect across all walks of life Right-sized community niches that foster connection and belonging Optimal health is not complicated—it requires overcoming the lure of power that divides us and silencing the persistent whispers of greed that make us forget our shared humanity. These forces persist, yet love and choice prevail in the end. Be a part of the solution, one small step at a time. 

Dear future self, maybe it's been 10 years and I'm looking back on a life that has taken on challenges beyond my wildest dreams and slayed them. I could look back and say I took to every moment with gusto and shared the biggest laughs and the tenderest moments. I get to smile and stare into my son's eyes and know I did my very best for him to carry on with the same zest for living out his best life. We could get to look back and say, in between clinks of wine glasses, that we put our best foot forward in all the moments that counted but also in those that did not if there is such a moment because of carpe diem and hurrah. Cheers friends to a life well lived.  Today, this weekend, we did a thing - my ex-husband and I - took a 2.5-hour turned 3.2-hour car ride with our son and back the same path because we missed the exit again to our summer family vacation spot Cannon Beach - we walked the shores, we shared a room, not a bed, we enjoyed lunch and James gets to grow up with h...