Crossing Paths

Around a decade ago, I found myself at a personal and professional crossroads, so I did what any other 30-something who wants to be heard does– I started a blog. I called it Kate’s Crossing, after one of my favorite childhood nicknames. That blog ended up being a dumping ground for my musings on life and relationships, and it served as an emotional outlet to help me navigate the transition from my 20s to my 30s…which also happened to come with some pretty huge life changes.

My marriage was ending after 8+ years together, several of which involved questioning why we were even still trying to make it work–for those of you who have been there, you’re familiar with that particular brand of misery. In the same span of about three months, my business partnership was also coming to a messy end, complete with attorneys, some steep legal fees, and a lot of heartache (plus the receipt of some angry faxes–yes, that’s right, people still faxed back then). My life was imploding in so many ways, seemingly all at once, and I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. I was a mess, and I felt utterly, excruciatingly alone.

Somehow, I discovered that through writing I could express things I didn’t fully understand when they were rattling around in my head. Putting those thoughts into words on a page and weaving them into a narrative helped me make sense of it all. The process of writing was not only therapeutic for me, but it forged unexpected connections with people who could relate to what I was going through. I was slowly getting used to the idea of shared experiences bringing people together, and I began to pay more attention to the people who were coming into my life for one reason or another.

During that transitional period and several times since, I have found myself at a fork in the road, and while “searching for direction” so to speak, I’ve crossed paths with many different people–a few fellow moms, a handful of artists, some entrepreneurs, a couple of free spirits, and most recently, a trio of inspiring female writers.

While getting to know each of them, sometimes at first just connecting over a cup of coffee, I discovered something unexpectedly cool happening: I was forming new pathways, both in my work and personal life, and I found myself with a broader range of possibilities for where my own road might lead. Gradually, over time, I felt more connected and less alone. I began to pay attention to–and fully appreciate–what the universe was putting right in front of me.

The people who have come into my life have added layers of depth I never thought possible, which has led to a certain level of self-awareness and gratitude I have never experienced before. In many ways, they have helped gently guide who I have become, and who I continue to become. Each of them has taught me something about life, or about myself. They give me new questions to answer. They make me dig deeper. They remind me to do more of what’s important, and to let go of what isn’t. They motivate me to pick up my camera and sit down to write–they inspire me to create more and worry less.

I believe the people we cross paths with are meant to be in our lives for one reason or another, even if we may never fully understand what that reason is. I also believe in one great big, inherent truth: we are all in this together. And together, we can do some pretty dynamic things. Pay attention to where your path leads, and who you happen across along the way. You just might discover something–or someone–amazing is waiting for you, right around the bend.