There’s something about walking—putting one foot in front of the other—that has a way of clearing space, both in your mind and in your life.
In midlife, many of us find ourselves on paths we never quite planned. Some are chosen. Others… not so much.
For me, that unexpected turn came with a diagnosis I never saw coming.
But it wasn’t the first time life had asked me to find my footing again. There had been other moments: watching everything I owned disappear in a fire, hearing the word “cancer” and feeling the ground shift beneath me, and later, at the age of 58, a diagnosis of ADHD that quietly reframed a lifetime of how my mind had worked.
None of them were paths I would have chosen. Each one changed me.
I recently released my memoir, The Brain Tumour That Saved Me. It isn’t just a story about illness. It’s about what happens when life stops you in your tracks and then, slowly, asks you to begin again—not just once, but many times.
I remember leaving the hospital after my diagnosis, trying to take it all in and somehow laughing at something completely absurd. That moment stayed with me because, even in the fear, something in me refused to disappear.
And there were quieter moments too—the ones no one sees. Lying awake at night, wondering what came next. Not feeling strong or brave, just human. There were stretches where the road felt uncertain, where I couldn’t see very far ahead. But step by step, I began to understand what truly mattered, what to carry forward, and what to finally let go of.
And perhaps most importantly, I learned that none of us is meant to walk these paths alone. The people who show up, who walk beside us, who hold space, who remind you who you are when you forget—can change everything.
What unfolded wasn’t just a medical journey, but a personal awakening. This isn’t a story tied up in neat conclusions. It’s real, messy, sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful. Because sometimes the path you would never choose… leads you exactly where you were meant to go.
I’m sharing this because I know how easy it is to feel like you’re the only one walking a hard road. If you’re in a season like that, I hope my story reminds you that you’re not alone, and that there can still be light ahead, even if you can’t see it yet.
The Brain Tumour That Saved Me is available on Amazon:
Amazon Canada: https://a.co/d/03VmEiJ9
Amazon US: https://a.co/d/0iukyy6P
READ MORE > Her Story, Rambler Cafe Blog
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