Decade

There’s a “2009 vs. 2019” challenge on Twitter right now. I’m not sharing photos, but . . .

2009: My husband died from cancer one month after I completed my PhD. My identity, my career plans, my life priorities–all shattered.

2019: I’ve remarried. I have a job I love (admittedly, I’m an adjunct, so it’s a precarious position). I’m finally looking at life more than one-day-at-a-time.

Life isn’t perfect, but it’s happy in its imperfection.

I’d like to add that I will never forget the care and support given by the University of Oregon’s English Department throughout my time there–a model of how to value students and consider what may be happening in their lives.