When I’m not working on a mystery or a thriller, I write about gentleness. My exploration into the subject started back in the spring of 2020, during the dark days of the pandemic. (Remember that?) I was feeling pretty unmoored and rather dreary. It probably didn’t help that I was, by nature and habit, a very self-critical and externally-focused person. I’ve always been drawn to reading philosophical and spiritual works about what it takes to live a good life. I’m also pretty willing to try anything. Anyway, with more time on my hands than I’d ever had before, when the words “try doing it gently” floated into my brain, I decided to try to do exactly that.
I started thinking about what it means to be gentle. To myself and others, to the planet and all the creatures we share it with. It has transformed how I approach challenges and goals, how I speak, think, and interact. In 2023, I started writing these (almost) weekly meditations on Substack about what I was discovering and practicing. I call it the art of living gently.
If you’re curious, please feel free to check it out. Subscribing is free.