Chapter 9 Page 1

It’s been a while since I’ve written here. The last time I sat down to share was back in April, and things were heavy. Since then, life hasn’t really slowed down — if anything, it’s been a storm that refused to pass. Loss, anniversaries, heartbreak, sports, parenting, bankruptcy, court, broken bones, surgery, a new diagnosis, now it's back-to-school chaos and finding myself again… moments that should have inspired writing instead stole my words.

Somewhere in the noise, I lost my rhythm. My spark flickered out quietly, almost unnoticed — until the silence became heavy.

I’ve always believed writing is part of my medicine. It’s where I make sense of the ache, where healing begins to take shape, where I remind myself that even in the chaos, I still have a voice. But lately, I’ve been sitting in the shadows of that truth — letting the weight of it all convince me to be still, to be quiet.

That stops here.

This isn’t me announcing a perfect comeback — this is me choosing to show up anyway. To pick up the pen, to write through the mess, and to rebuild that spark with intention. Healing isn’t a straight line, and neither is expression.

So here’s to the next chapter: not polished, not painless, but real.

🪶💛 JRT

🎨 Art by Raven Shaolin Bluefeather