A difficult season changed everything — including my writing life. What I relearned about returning to the page in the quiet halls of a Roman hospital.

The page is like a map for my day, the X that marks the spot where I am. Here I am, right now, looking out the window and noticing the little things. This quiet time helps me tune into how I feel, what’s pressing on my mind, and what I want for the day. It’s a starting point, every morning, over and over again; a way of continuing to be myself.