Ann Minnett, Author

Did you look back over the events of 2013 and reflect about their significance? About where you go from here? I did, and not too far into the process, had to narrow my focus to those events that affected me personally. (Others can ponder the government shutdown and how it affected all of us.) I was surprised at how much change occurred in one year and how little of that change I intended. What hadn’t changed was my waning memory, so I relied on weekly letters that I wrote and shared with my mentor. Throughout the year I responded to a few questions about the previous week. Where have I been resentful? Selfish? Have I been of service? How are my relationships with family and friends? What did I do well? Where was I pleased? I loved reflecting and writing about the week because it revealed my emotional/spiritual well-being and what needed work. My mentor read and commented on each week’s letter, pointing out the obvious and ‘suggesting’ alternatives. I love her because she’s h...

We live in a snow belt, 21 miles from the nearest town. Our property butts up against the Flathead National Forest, so it seems as though we own thousands and thousands of acres. What I see from my office window this morning: three feet of snow, forest, and higher mountains to the west. And it’s snowing.     I thrive in the quiet, the isolation, and even the long dark nights of Montana’s winter—great ambiance for writing. However, we are far from alone up here. An amazing community of like-minded folks has sprung up within a mile radius. Some of us are year-rounders, some not. We have neighborhood gatherings, and we leave each other alone. We are self-sufficient, and we help one another. We are retired seniors, and some are just starting families. Coming from the big city where I knew the couples who lived on either side of our house and no one else (until I had a garage sale before moving), our community both worries and delights me. I find solitude and a c...