1/ This is my friend Gaylee McCracken & me in 1986. We were working on a newsletter at a laundromat because I didn’t have a working washer. I had a camera on me, always, & when my son aimed it at us, we started clowning around. We were 2 young mothers with career dreams on hold. 
2/ Gaylee was a silkscreen artist who had always wanted to be a doctor. I was a stay-at-home mom who yearned to be a full-time journalist. Others judged or dismissed us for our ambitions, but we were a team of two & never stopped believing in each other.
3/ We learned that there is no one trajectory for a rewarding life. We made each other brave. Here we are in 1999, when Gaylee graduated from medical school. I was a feature writer at The Plain Dealer & single mom. She is a beloved primary care physician. I’m still writing.
4/ Today is Wednesday. We are living in a time of dreams deferred, but not extinguished. This is not our forevermore. Let’s take care of ourselves and cheer for one another. And right now, let’s breathe.
