I am a school librarian. I work with sixth, seventh, and eighth graders who are frequently convinced that nothing matters and occasionally convinced that everything does. I spend my days surrounded by books and children and the particular chaos of a middle school where I have joined many, many committees to try to make the school as awesome as possible. I am also, on the side, trying to build something. In the plans are writing workshops over Zoom. A writing retreat at Cambria Pines Lodge....

"There are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes." — Fred Rogers Dog rescue is not glamorous. I don't know how those people with the cameras do it — the ones who film themselves saving animals on the side of the road, all calm narration and steady hands. That's not how it works, not for me, anyway. For me, it's shaking hands and a racing heart and blood on my clothes and being late to work and crying in my car. But I'm getting ahead of myself. It was a...

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." — Thornton Wilder Photo by Dave Pomes I remember a moment. Dave and I were on a cruise in Alaska sitting on the balcony of our stateroom, sipping wine, watching ice- and tree-covered land slide past us in the fading light. We counted waterfalls, not talking very much. The sunset did all the work needed. I remember thinking: I am so grateful to be here. Not in a journal-prompt way. Not in a...