06/02/2026
Over the past few weeks, I have come to an important realization.
For six years, I have moved back after Mort’s death and during Covid and lived on a small farm in southwestern Pennsylvania. During that time, the farm gave me exactly what I needed. It provided quiet after loss, space to think, room to grow, and a place to pursue one of my biggest goals: earning my doctorate.
This spring, I completed my Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership and Innovation. Shortly afterward, I celebrated with a solo trip to Alaska. Somewhere between the glaciers, whales, mountains, and long conversations with new friends, I began to see things differently.
When I returned home, the endless cycle of mowing, weeding, and maintenance felt heavier than it ever had before. At first, I thought I was simply tired. Then I realized something else: perhaps I am not tired of the work. Perhaps I have completed the chapter.
The farm did its job.
It was the place where I healed, studied, wrote, taught, reflected, and proved to myself that I could build a meaningful life on my own. For that, I will always be grateful.
Lately, I find myself thinking more about writing, research, travel, photography, students, and new experiences. I am increasingly drawn to a life with fewer obligations and more opportunities to explore, travel and contribute to my community.
One of the lessons I have learned over the years is that growth is not always about adding more. Sometimes it is about creating space for what comes next.
So I find myself asking a new question: not "What have I accomplished?" but "What do I want to do with the time I have ahead of me?"
I do not have all the answers yet. But I am excited to find them.
For now, I am grateful for the farm, grateful for the doctorate, grateful for Alaska, and grateful for the realization that every season of life does not need to last forever.
Sometimes the most important thing we can do is recognize when a chapter has fulfilled its purpose and be open to turning the page. To that end, the farm will be be open to welcoming a new owner. If you know of someone who wants acreage, a barn with a stable, and easy access to 79, let me know. The time has come.
