Where I've Been
driving winding roads, living with the twists and turns
This week I attended a new director’s library retreat to kick off a year of training for my new role at HPL. The retreat was held at Rock Springs campgrounds, a place I previously visited as a women’s retreat speaker. It was interesting, as I wound through the twists and turns driving through the camp, thinking about how my life’s been pretty twisty since the last time I was at the camp as well. There are things that haven’t changed – I live in the same town I have since graduating college, I live in the same house we’ve been renovating for nine years, for example. When I was at Rock Springs before, I was pretty solidly on the writer/speaker track. I was writing often and I was also being invited to speak at events about my faith, about my experience working through my own trauma, even about being a track coach.
The pandemic physically brought my speaking engagements to a halt. There aren’t invitations to speak at non-existent events, after all. The pandemic also shifted my view of writing for public consumption. It damaged me in ways I still don’t verbalize for a public audience. So much of me is different, including my profession.
I didn’t set out to become a librarian. I’ve always thought it would be fun, sure, but the opportunity wasn’t there. And then, a part-time clerk position opened. It got me out of the house and writing/working alone and plunged me back into the public. It gave me co-workers, which was a positive change. I also didn’t set out to be a director. But here I am. I’m no longer speaking from a stage or writing for various publications, but there’s not a day that goes by when I don’t use my communication degree or my writing skills for the library – it just looks quite a bit different than where I was seven years ago.
What things have changed for you in the last ten years?




What great pictures those are of you! You look as if you're at ease with life; not that things are perfect, but that you're in the right place - book queen.
Rock Springs is a renewing kind of place, yes?