have been, it makes me all the more grateful for my own possessions and for the love and care I receive from them. It is truly a two-way blessing.”

Acts of Faith

Writer summons courage to take a flying leap, seeks out the extraordinary in the ordinary  —  and lands on her feet.

And the time came when the risk to remain a closed bud became infinitely more painful than the risk to blossom.

— Anaïs Nin

Essentially, it all came down to moxie. Barbara Mahany got serious about putting the pedal to the metal on her dream to start her own blog and have that be the first brave step on her way to create a book.

Barbara Mahany, 51, Wilmette, Illinois

Act I: Pediatric oncology nurse.

Act II: Feature writer for the Chicago Tribune; married to the Tribune’s architecture critic, Blair Kamin; and the mother of two sons: Will, 14, and Teddy, 6.

Act III: Blog columnist and community leader at www.pull upachair.org, “where wisdom gathers, poetry unfolds and divine light is sparked.”