possible. Swimming in the event  —  which terrified me  —  was symbolic of all of demons that had me breaking out in cold sweats in the middle of the night: The fact that my job security was suddenly in question following the sale of the company I worked for and the idea of reentering the dating arena after a twenty-five year hiatus proved to me that I needed to find a new direction that would help me do something to help others make a difference. I am learning to embrace going it alone surrounded by a community of friends and family I am blessed to have.

In addition to lighting my fire with the “wake up” warning, Andrew, who pulled me aside after class the day before the big event, said something I will not forget. “You can do it, in memory of those who can’t. . . . You can honor their spirit and their courage to keep living to the very end.”

So, that is what I did. I dove into the water, pedaled, and ran my heart across the finish line. My friends’ spirits and divine energy carried me.

These days, I’ve lost a lot of titles  —  wife, “young” mom, vice president of a company. But I wear a couple new ones: triathlete, half-marathoner, and career and personal life adventurer. I’m trying all kinds of things: I’ve swung on a trapeze; taken up beach volleyball, traveling, knitting lessons (I’m cranking out scarves like crazy), running my own business, yoga, going to weddings alone, gardening, surfing; and I have an endless list of “to-explores.” And, I’m going back to graduate school to get a degree in spiritual direction. I have spent a lifetime gathering people’s stories; now I want to help them make meaning out of them.