Why I Write

A candid reflection on why this newsletter means so much to me.

Author’s Note: Going forward, the last post of each month (plus or minus a day) will be for paid subscribers. These essays are a more personal, behind-the-scenes look at my journey, an opportunity to go deeper and share the everyday challenges and small victories that shape my life.

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Growing up, my favorite question to ask was, “Why?”

“Why does the sky change color at sunset?”

“Why is it called the humerus when breaking it is anything but humorous?”

“Why does Connecticut have that annoying notch on its border with Massachusetts?”

“Why did I become a Boston Red Sox fan when they’ve been cursed for 80+ years?” (A burning question until 2004.)

You see, I’ve always been inquisitive by nature, with a deep desire to understand why the world is the way it is. As a child, my questions were innocent and unintentionally hilarious. As an adult, they’ve been more philosophical as I grapple with the continued evolution of my rare disease.

Some answers I’ve found; others I’ve accepted I’ll never know in this lifetime. But asking “Why?” has always been an integral part of who I am.

A few months ago, my penchant for probing questions found a new target: my career.

Why am I a writer?

It wasn’t so much an existential crisis as a need to understand why I devote so much energy each day to my newsletter and my book. Life was growing increasingly difficult, and I needed to be certain that my “why” matched the moment.

It was a self-reflection that was long overdue, and ultimately, more rewarding than I could have imagined.