Dear friends,

Happy fall! This is my favorite time of year, and I hope you, too, are finding some moments of joy even in trying times. As many of you know, I am going through a huge life transition now that both my kids are in college. Even though I knew this change was coming, my day-to-day life still brings unexpected feelings and insights. In these first few weeks, my theme is “deferred maintenance.” I know it sounds mundane, but stick with me.

Dear friends,

As I write this, I am halfway through a cross-country flight, way too early in the morning. My youngest child is asleep next to me, and I am in complete disbelief that I will be making the flight back to San Francisco alone. This is the biggest transition in my life since becoming a parent, and the sheer magnitude and mix of feelings is difficult to describe. Anyway, how are you?

Dear friends,

Greetings! August is here, and I hope you have either taken time away or have rest and relaxation ahead. I have a confession to make: I have mixed feelings about summer. I love having my college kid home and appreciate the summer weather (outside of foggy San Francisco, anyway!) but summertime at the office can be challenging. The work demands press on, but since everyone is out of the office at different times, it’s harder to get things done. And even though I try to be very intentional about vacation, I can’t deny that I work hard to prepare before I leave and strain to catch up afterwards. I always look back fondly on summer and feel grateful for fall’s return to routine.