Why I’m Finally Writing

After years of avoiding exposure, I’m stepping forward to share the lives, struggles, and triumphs of those we rarely see.

I like to think of myself as an expert at putting the world’s reality into words. But it’s easy to do that when I’m buried under a pile of books and articles that let me anchor myself in endless bibliographic citations (I’m a bibliography nerd). However, when it comes to sharing reality straight from my heart, I get nervous. And no matter how much I try to complicate or justify it, that nervousness has a name: writer’s block.

But well, instead of coming up with a thousand excuses, I have to admit that one of those very excuses is the reason I’m here. After years of living a life outside what most would consider normal—despite having had plenty of opportunities to build a more traditional and settled professional career—and after more than 15 years dedicated to serving and forming people who live on the margins of society, here I am, introducing myself to you and to this humble newsletter.

I haven’t had social media in years. I like living this way. I have more time to read, to take walks, and, simply put, life feels deeper. Time moves differently, and my encounters with people have a richness that I wouldn’t trade for anything. This is how I enjoy life.

But living as I do, every time I sit down for a drink with someone or meet a new person, I always get the same questions: "How can I learn more about what you do?" Or, from those who know more about these things, "How do you handle your exposure?"

My usual answer is something like: "The people I work with often don’t even have electricity—why should I worry about that?" But I think life has led me to a point where sharing my work—the work of so many people contributing to the common good—and, more importantly, telling the stories of the incredible people I’m fortunate to meet each week, has become something I can no longer ignore.

Because their stories enrich me, move me, and shape me. They are stories of people we rarely see or even know exist—people working tirelessly to move forward. And they are also stories of how we come together, striving to build communities rooted in honest work and empathy.

So, I’m leaving this space open for free-flowing words—to share their lives, to talk about the small actions that can create real change, and to shine a light on the stories of my heroes. I hope to contribute weekly with stories that will entertain, inspire, and, hopefully, encourage readers to make a difference in their own communities.

Thank you for reading.