I have some news to share about my book — It is at the printer and will be officially released on September 1st! EEK!

While I patiently wait for September to come, I’ve been planning something that is even more personally fulfilling to me. I will be visiting Dawn’s family at the end of August and bringing printed copies of the book as a gift to them. This feels like the culmination of the journey and I’m so excited for this visit.

I’ve been asked a number of times how I found the courage to write this book. The truth is, I didn’t know where this path would lead when I enrolled in a writing class in October of 2023. One step after another turned into a healing journey that I didn’t realize I had signed up for.

Each chapter that I wrote, brought up new fears.  The idea of publishing felt raw and vulnerable. I worried about what Dawn’s parents might think. Would they believe I was exploiting the worst day of their lives? I worried that writing honestly about my past would be uncomfortable for my family. I worried about hurting feelings, betraying trust, or opening doors that had been closed for decades. 

But something unexpected happened. By confronting my fears, I found peace. Instead of creating distance, the truth created connection. Instead of tearing relationships apart, it began tearing walls down. Instead of closing doors, it opened new ones. Conversations I’ve wanted to have for years have finally happened. Relationships have deepened. Understanding has grown.

And perhaps the most unbelievable gift of all is the upcoming trip to Wisconsin to place this book into Dawn’s family’s hands personally. Until recently, I hadn’t spoken with any of them in more than three decades. If you had told me this would be part of the story, I never would have believed you.

Recently I heard someone say, “Life begins where your comfort zone ends.”

Those words resonated deeply because they perfectly describe what this season of my life has taught me. During the early years of my sobriety, I had a simple mantra that I wrote in my journal almost every day: EBU — Embrace Being Uncomfortable.

At the time, it was about learning to live without alcohol. Today, I realize it was preparing me for something much bigger. Healing is uncomfortable. Honest conversations are uncomfortable. Writing the truth is uncomfortable. Forgiveness is uncomfortable.

Growth is uncomfortable. But on the other side of that discomfort is a life I never knew existed.

For so many years I tried to control everything. I wanted certainty. I wanted everyone to be okay. I wanted life to stay predictable and comfortable. Now I’m learning that the most beautiful experiences often begin with uncertainty. I’ve stopped asking, “What if this goes wrong?” Instead, I’m beginning to ask, “What wonderful thing might happen if I have the courage to take the next step?”

Time and time again, I’ve discovered that reality has been far kinder than my fears ever were. This journey continues to surprise me. Every time I choose courage over comfort, another unexpected blessing seems to appear. Maybe that’s what healing really is.

Not arriving at some perfect destination, but becoming willing to trust that the next step—even the uncomfortable one—might lead somewhere more beautiful than we could have imagined.

And so I keep stepping forward.